Thiruvananthapuram: Driving school operators, led by the All-Kerala Driving School Workers Union under the CITU - the trade union supporting the ruling CPM in the state - have declared an indefinite strike in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram starting June 10. They are initiating this fresh agitation due to the government's failure to fulfill promises made by the Transport Minister following a strike a month ago and the insertion of a new condition in a recent circular regarding driving test conduct. Consequently, driving training and tests, which were disrupted across Kerala during the previous strike, are likely to face disruptions once again.

The new circular related to driving tests issued by the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) stipulates that recognised instructors must be present on the ground during driving tests. However, driving school owners and employees have pointed out that this new condition contradicts an earlier circular issued by the Transport Commissioner, which stated that instructors or driving owners should not enter the ground. "Moreover, no such rule is present in the Motor Vehicles Act," added a driving school owner.

Meanwhile, MVD officials state that the new circular is being opposed because instructors from several driving schools lack the necessary qualifications.

Similarly, although a meeting convened by the Transport Minister had decided to increase the maximum age of vehicles used by driving schools to train students to 18 years, unions - including the CITU-affiliated organization - are demanding it to be 22 years.

During the meeting, the Minister had also promised urgent measures to clear the backlog of applications for driving licenses. However, according to driving schools, MVD authorities are yet to prepare a schedule to implement this plan.