KATHMANDU, May 12: The National Vigilance Center (NVC) has concluded that several driving license trial centers in the Kathmandu Valley are not adhering to prescribed standards, resulting in the failure of test takers.

Ram Aadhaar Sah, secretary of the NVC, stated that these trial centers, which fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government, intentionally fail the examinees and coerce them into obtaining fake licenses for kickbacks. "The trial centers in the valley are the breeding ground for fake licenses," Sah remarked, "Unless these centers are regulated, the trend of acquiring fake licenses will not stop."

The NVC formed a team last March to conduct an extensive study and surveillance of trial centers in the valley. The report compiled by the NVC revealed that during the monitoring, five trial centers in the valley failed to conduct practical tests in accordance with the Operational Guidelines for Driving Test Centers of 2074 BS.

This discrepancy raises doubts about the legitimacy of the practical examinations conducted by these centers. "It was observed that the five trial centers conducted practical exams contrary to the stipulated standards, resulting in the failure of students," Sah said.

The report mentions that the trial centers did not follow the layout (design) and sequence according to the guidelines when taking the practical exam. According to the guidelines, a specific distance is required for the practical test, and it should neither be short nor long. However, the NVC report highlights instances where some trial centers failed to adhere to this standard.

Similarly, it is mentioned in the criteria that the traffic light should be placed just before the zebra crossing while taking the practical test. But Buddhi Khanal, coordinator of the monitoring team, says that some trial centers do not place traffic lights according to this standard.

"The examinees get confused when the traffic light is not kept according to the standards," the NVC’s report says, "Some trial centers do not conform to the standards set by the Operation of Driving Test Center Guidelines 2074 BS, and it is highly doubtful that the tests taken at these centers meet the prescribed standards to be considered legal." 

Therefore, it has been decided to instruct the responsible officials of the traffic management office and the trial centers to take action according to the law and bring them into operation according to the standards prescribed by the law.

According to the NVC report, Easy Way Trial Center in Radhe Radhe, Bhaktapur, Vehicle Academy and Research Center Pvt Ltd, Gurjudhara, Nepal Driving and Reconditioning Center Pvt Ltd in Gokarneshwor, Suzuki Driving School Pvt Ltd in Ekantakuna, City Driving Training Institute, Lalitpur have not conducted practical test according to the prescribed standards.

“The report highlights that the trial centers lack the necessary physical infrastructure, designated examination area, and vehicles as per the operational guidelines of the driver training center. Monitoring has revealed instances where the trial centers have compelled examinees to use their own vehicles during the practical test, increasing the likelihood of failure for the students,” remarked Sah.

Negligence of Bagmati provincial government

Senior officials at the NVC believe that the efforts to regulate or shut down trial centers operating against norms have been disregarded by the Bagmati provincial government. Trial centers fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government and operate with its permission.

NVC has already sent two letters to the Bagmati provincial government to bring the trial centers which are operating against the standards under the ambit of law or to close them down.

The NVC has written twice to the Bagmati Provincial Government, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and the trial centers asking for a response but to no avail, said Sah. "From this, we understand that the Bagmati provincial government is unwilling to bring the trial centers, which are operating against the standards, under the ambit of the law," Sah said.

A source alleged that trial centers are deliberately causing examinees to fail and encouraging them to obtain licenses illegally to profit from the sale of licenses.

 
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