TN scraps edu qualification for DL
Move Aimed At Boosting Employment Opportunities For Drivers
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com
Chennai:4.11.2019
The Tamil Nadu government has removed the minimum educational qualification required for drivers while signing up for driving licences. The move, officials said, is meant to boost employment opportunities.
The change, effected on October 29, was made based on an order issued by the Union road transport ministry last month.
Earlier, a pass in Class VIII was deemed as the minimum education qualification needed for operating commercial vehicles like trucks, buses and taxis in Tamil Nadu. The rule was made a part of the original TN Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989, to ensure that drivers, travelling to other states on long routes, were able to read the names of places and warning messages on route/sign boards and record details on consignments or travel log sheets.
However, transport and commercial vehicle operators wanted this rule to be scrapped because of a shortage of drivers. Several members of lorry and bus owners' associations have submitted petitions in this regard.
There are over 6 lakh goods carriages and buses in Tamil Nadu but only 4 lakh regular drivers for these vehicles are available, according to official data.
“We hope the new rule will bridge this huge gap,” said C Dhanraj, secretary of TN Lorry Owners' Federation.
Seconding him, Ganesh from the All India Inter State Lorry Owners’ Association said that there was no need to look at the issue from the literacy angle as ability to read road signs and understand safe driving practices was more than enough to drive across the country.
Transport experts told TOI that there is no evidence to prove that people who have had a formal education drive safer.
Official data actually states that less than 11% accidents in TN (7,700) were caused by drivers with educational qualification up to Class VIII, while the accidents caused by those who were educated stood at 60,000.
Transport activist K Kathirmathiyon said drivers were misusing the shortage in their numbers as private bus operators do not take penal action against drivers if they are at fault.
However, the shortage of drivers didn’t translate into a rise in the salaries drawn by drivers. At present, their average pay is around ₹10,000-12,000 a month.
With better paying options like app-based cab aggregators available, there have been several instances where many truck drivers have presented fake stories about police demanding bribes on highways. The stigma around the job doesn’t attract many and shortage will be there, Ganesh added.
Responding to this, an official from the state transport department said that it was important to train drivers in not only basic driving and repair skills, but also on dealing with their irregular work conditions in order to retain quality drivers for a longer duration.
Move Aimed At Boosting Employment Opportunities For Drivers
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com
Chennai:4.11.2019
The Tamil Nadu government has removed the minimum educational qualification required for drivers while signing up for driving licences. The move, officials said, is meant to boost employment opportunities.
The change, effected on October 29, was made based on an order issued by the Union road transport ministry last month.
Earlier, a pass in Class VIII was deemed as the minimum education qualification needed for operating commercial vehicles like trucks, buses and taxis in Tamil Nadu. The rule was made a part of the original TN Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989, to ensure that drivers, travelling to other states on long routes, were able to read the names of places and warning messages on route/sign boards and record details on consignments or travel log sheets.
However, transport and commercial vehicle operators wanted this rule to be scrapped because of a shortage of drivers. Several members of lorry and bus owners' associations have submitted petitions in this regard.
There are over 6 lakh goods carriages and buses in Tamil Nadu but only 4 lakh regular drivers for these vehicles are available, according to official data.
“We hope the new rule will bridge this huge gap,” said C Dhanraj, secretary of TN Lorry Owners' Federation.
Seconding him, Ganesh from the All India Inter State Lorry Owners’ Association said that there was no need to look at the issue from the literacy angle as ability to read road signs and understand safe driving practices was more than enough to drive across the country.
Transport experts told TOI that there is no evidence to prove that people who have had a formal education drive safer.
Official data actually states that less than 11% accidents in TN (7,700) were caused by drivers with educational qualification up to Class VIII, while the accidents caused by those who were educated stood at 60,000.
Transport activist K Kathirmathiyon said drivers were misusing the shortage in their numbers as private bus operators do not take penal action against drivers if they are at fault.
However, the shortage of drivers didn’t translate into a rise in the salaries drawn by drivers. At present, their average pay is around ₹10,000-12,000 a month.
With better paying options like app-based cab aggregators available, there have been several instances where many truck drivers have presented fake stories about police demanding bribes on highways. The stigma around the job doesn’t attract many and shortage will be there, Ganesh added.
Responding to this, an official from the state transport department said that it was important to train drivers in not only basic driving and repair skills, but also on dealing with their irregular work conditions in order to retain quality drivers for a longer duration.
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