KSRTC driving school yet to begin classes for this year

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s Driving and Technical Training Institute in Malavalli town, is yet to begin classes for the current year, leaving the applicants in a fix.

The institute offers training to drivers selected by the Transport department, as part of its initiative to check accidents due to drivers’ inefficiency.

Besides, the centre provides skilled training to interested youths under Koushalya Karnataka Yojane. However, the centre has not commenced classes for HPV (heavy passenger vehicle) for the year 2019-20, creating confusion among applicants.

Out of 422 students, 100 applicants already possess HPV learner’s license (LL). As the training centre is a government organisation, it will enable successful students to find a job in the Transport department. Hence, the applicants are waiting patiently for the centre to begin classes. But, the unending delay is testing their patience.

A few applicants explained that their Learner’s License will expire soon and they have to get their Driving License before that. “We possess LL since two months and in the remaining four months, we have to complete the training and also face the test. We fear that the delay in training would be a setback. It may become difficult to get jobs," they said.

The training for the year 2018-19 was completed on August 19. But, classes for the year 2019-20 has not been started. There are 10 trainers in the centre. The trainers and the buses are idle, they complained.

One of the trainers said, “It is difficult for us to pass time without work for the whole day. Our request to the authorities to send us to another centre has not been considered.”

The centre provides free training under Koushalya Karnataka Scheme from 2017, irrespective of income and reservation groups. The government itself bears the cost of training, LL and DL. The applicants are provided 30-day training with food and accommodation. The government spends Rs 22,000 on each student.

Principal of the centre A Vidya said that there is a target to provide HPV training to 700 applicants this year. The number of applicants is less. Besides, the centre is awaiting orders from the higher authorities. Training will be started once the orders are received, she added.