Kerala sees reduction in driving license applicants

Ottapalam (Palakkad): Kerala is witnessing a reduction in the number of people obtaining driving licenses. Till May 2024, only 1.69 lakh people got their license. In the last two years, more than two lakh people have taken the license in the period up to May. The driving test crisis for the last month has also led to a decrease in the number. Statistics indicate that the number of people who get a license may decrease further when the rules for driving license are tightened.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport's Parivahan system, 2.97 lakh people were issued licenses till May 2022. In 2023, 2.15 lakh people were given licenses till May. This has reduced to 1.69 lakh this time. The fact that the newer practical tests take longer to complete and are not easy to pass has contributed to the drop in numbers.

The number of license takers has been decreasing for the past three years. In the last three years, 2023 saw the lowest number of people taking driving licenses. Compared to 2022, there was a shortage of about 1.36 lakh people in 2023. In 2023, 6.32 lakh people got their driving licenses, in 2022, it was 7.68 lakh and in 2021, 7.89 lakh people were awarded licenses. In 2020, when Covid struck, only 2.79 lakh people got licenses. Figures indicate a drop in the number of people getting their licenses.