Language no bar, drive on

Now, language proficiency is not required to get a driving licence in Delhi; in the first-of-its-kind experiment, a voice support system has been initiated in the computerised test for applicants who can't read any language

Language no bar, drive on

ABC of driving: Applicants for learners driving license taking the voice-based test at the Vasant Vihar centreu00a0pic/mid day

Now, you also can pass the exam, conducted to test a person's knowledge of driving and relevant rules and laws, by participating through a voice support system.

Anil Chikara, Motor Licensing Officer, Vasant Vihar, said,u00a0 "When we started conducting tests on computers, many people complained about the inconvenience in reading the language. So, we had to develop a mechanism to help such people."

To minimize human interface in a bid to make the license issuing process more transparent, the computerised testing was introduced at the new zonal transport office at Vasant Vihar in south-west Delhi in January this year. Only those who clear the test are granted licences.u00a0u00a0

Though, the system was started to end the corruption, it, however, came up with another set of problems. To get rid ofu00a0 the computerized evaluation, many applicantsu00a0 often pose as illiterates.

"There have been instances when people who were even well-educated claimed that they can not read to avoid the test," said, Chikara.

With the voice support system, computerized voice will read out questions on road safety to the applicants.

The computerized voice system is available in Hindi, Punjabi, English and Urdu and apparently has been introduced for the first time in the country. Under this system, questions on road safety will be read out to the applicants who cannot read.

"The voice support system was being tested for the past one month. In the past ten days we have issued over 15 learners licences to people who can't read any language. So far, there is no complaint from the applicants," said Chikara.

In India computerized learner license evaluation is done in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Orissa.
It was also started in Chennai but now has been withdrawn.u00a0 However, they are popular in the US, European countries and Australia

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