No more long queues, dealing with middlemen, or hurried trips to ITI centres—starting next week, getting a learning licence in Gujarat will become much simpler.
The state transport department is launching the Home-Made Learning Licence (HMLL) project, which will let applicants take their driving theory test online from the comfort of their home.
A senior Gandhinagar transport official confirmed, “Applicants can now take the online exam at home using a laptop or desktop computer by booking an appointment through the Sarathi portal. Once they pass, they will have 30 days to take the track test for a permanent licence.”
Until now, the online learning licence exam was available only at designated ITIs and polytechnic institutes. Applicants had to upload documents, pay the fee on the Sarathi portal, and then visit a centre for the test. With HMLL, everything-from uploading documents to sitting the exam-will be done online.
Officials at the Vastral and Subhash Bridge RTOs said applicants can log in to the portal, upload documents, pay the fee, and schedule their online test. The exam must be taken on a computer with a working webcam.
It will feature 15 multiple-choice questions, of which at least nine must be answered correctly to pass. The webcam must stay on throughout. Any suspicious behaviour will lead to automatic disqualification. Sources also revealed that a mobile app is in the works to support the system.
The initiative comes in response to repeated complaints of corruption at ITI centres. In the past, the Anti-Corruption Bureau caught outsourced staff accepting bribes for licences. This prompted the department to push for a more transparent, digital system.
The government had already cracked down on touts in RTO offices to spare applicants harassment and unnecessary expenses. Many previously relied on agents due to the red tape involved in acquiring a licence or transferring vehicle ownership.
The idea for the HMLL project was proposed last year. An expert committee gave its recommendations in December 2024. Although the launch was originally planned for January, it is now set to go live in May, with thousands of applicants expected to benefit.