Driving tests in the state of Kerala remain suspended for the fifth consecutive day due to protests organized by the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Demonstrations took place in Thalassery and Mukkam, with the protesting committee insisting they will continue until the new driving test reforms are withdrawn.
The suspension of driving tests stemmed from a collective decision made by various associations, including CITU, INTUC, and the All Kerala Driving School Owners Association, during a meeting held on Tuesday night. Driving school owners initiated an indefinite strike on Thursday to protest against the new regulations introduced by the state Motor Vehicle Department for driving tests.
Amidst the ongoing strike, there is disagreement within the protesting groups, particularly between INTUC and CITU. INTUC expressed opposition to CITU’s stance, criticizing those who are supporting the government rather than striking together. They questioned the government’s decision to engage solely with CITU for discussions. The revised norms aim to enhance the assessment of candidates’ driving abilities under diverse road conditions, implementing changes such as increasing the number of driving test applicants supervised by a Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) per day from 30 to 60 due to strong protests. Additionally, vehicles with automatic gear transmissions and electric vehicles are barred from use in the driving test, and driving schools are required to utilize vehicles no older than 15 years, equipped with dashboard cameras for testing purposes.
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