Kerala has increased the number of daily driving test slots to 50 with immediate effect, responding to a seasonal surge in licence applications from those aged 18 and above, particularly students applying after completing their Plus Two examinations before joining higher education.
The Transport Commissioner’s circular states that each office will now conduct tests for 28 fresh applicants, 20 re-test candidates and two applicants under the foreign employment, out-of-state employment or higher education quota. Driving tests will also be held on five working days every week over the next three months to reduce waiting periods and clear the backlog.
The move partially reverses the 2025 decision that reduced the daily test limit from 60 to 40, a change that had drawn criticism over delays in licence issuance. Officials have clarified that while testing capacity is being increased, the quality, transparency, safety and fairness of the driving test process will remain uncompromised. The department has also outlined a protocol for deploying Motor Vehicle Inspectors to ensure the testing schedule is not disrupted.
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The Motor Vehicles Department will also introduce facial recognition-based authentication for learner’s licence tests taken on mobile phones inside MVD examination halls under official supervision. According to Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam, a similar system was used during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this version will operate in a controlled, invigilated environment to expand learner’s licence batches and simplify the testing process. The feature will be activated through the Sarathi application once technical integration is completed.
The department will periodically review the effectiveness of the new measures, with targets including fresh driving test appointments within 30 days, re-test slots within eight days, and learner’s licence test slots within three days of booking. Deputy Transport Commissioners will oversee implementation across their jurisdictions, while Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and Joint Regional Transport Officers (JRTOs) will be responsible for ensuring compliance and optimum utilisation of testing capacity.
