Editorial | Expand Driving Test Access

Online booking systems frequently display “No Slots Available” for extended periods, and the few that are available get picked up in seconds. Offline bookings are even more exasperating, taking multiple visits, hours of waiting, and an uncertain return. In many districts, ARTOs give driving tests only a handful of days a week, and with minimal personnel. This disparity between demand and capacity has formed a bottleneck of grave proportions.

Worst hit are youth attempting to initiate work in driving careers delivery work, commercial driving, or tourism and women who aspire to be more independent. In rural districts such as Shopian, Bandipora, Kupwara where public transport is irregular and private mobility is imperative, this hold-up directly hurt livelihoods. For most, a driving license could usher in employment, autonomy, and better standard of living. But rather, they are trapped in a system that provides too little opportunity to try and too great a barrier to cross.

This shortage has also created corruption. In most towns, middlemen and touts have appeared who say they can arrange test slots for a fee. This not only erodes confidence in the administration but also makes people pay bribes instead of going through proper channels. It’s a system that punishes honesty and rewards manipulation.

The consequences extend beyond inconvenience. Many people, particularly those with urgent job needs, are forced to drive without a license risking fines, accidents, and legal trouble. This increases the burden on traffic police and contributes to unsafe roads. The logic is clear: if more people had legal access to tests and licenses, we’d have fewer untrained drivers and safer roads.

It is not a hard problem to correct. The government can start with the expansion of weekly driving test slot capacities at all ART offices in Kashmir. Offices can also think of extending their working hours to early mornings, evenings, or even weekends, particularly during summer when demand is most. More staff or temporary driving inspectors could be hired to take care of peak demand periods.

Mobile test units may also be sent to distant regions on a rotation basis so that individuals from remote villages are not excluded. This would be particularly useful where disruption due to weather, unrest, or restricted public transport is experienced.

Transparency is also crucial. Real-time data regarding slot availability, test pass rates, and schedule updation must be made public by the Transport Department. Allow an open system to eliminate the agent’s role and enable genuine applicants to schedule their tests reasonably.

The advantages of such reforms would be numerous. More licensed drivers equate to more employees for Kashmir’s expanding industries—tourism, logistics, courier services, and public transport. It also translates into more women driving, more young adults getting jobs, and fewer individuals turning to illegal shortcuts.

Policy-wise, enhancing access to ARTO is consistent with overarching development objectives. It contributes to employment, women’s empowerment, road safety, and administrative transparency at relatively little cost. What is most needed is political will to see this as a priority.

In a place where every chance matters, opening up something as fundamental as a driving test can mean having disproportionate influence. A license is not a piece of plastic. It’s a symbol of trust, competency, and freedom. Let’s see that everyone in Kashmir has a fair opportunity to earn it.