People with mild or medium colour blindness can also obtain Driving License now

New Delhi: In a major step, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification for enabling the  Citizens with mild to medium colour blindness in obtaining the Driving License. The GSR 401 (E) dated June 24 is a social and facilitative regulation published by the Ministry.

The Ministry has been taking many measures to enable divyangjan (persons with disabilities) citizens to avail transport related services and especially relating to the obtaining of  the Driving Licence. The Advisories issued in regard to facilitate driving licence to the divyangjan and further an advisory for people with monocular vision have been issued earlier. 

The Ministry received representations that the Colour Blind Citizens are not able to have the driving licence made as restrictions through the requirements in the declaration about physical fitness (FORM I) or the Medical certificate (FORM IA) makes it difficult.

The issue was taken up with Medical Expert Institution and advice was sought. The recommendations received were to allow  Mild to Medium Colour Blind Citizens to be allowed to drive and put restrictions only on the severe colour blind citizens from driving. 

This is also allowed  in other parts of the world. Accordingly a draft notification was issued to seek comments and suggestions.

Thus the government has now issued notification for amendment  to the FORM 1 and FORM 1A of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989.