Pre-university students in Karnataka barred from taking motor vehicles to colleges, parents of erring students to face action

Bengaluru Traffic Commissioner Ravikanthe Gowda said officers are creating awareness in colleges to encourage students to use other modes of transportation like bicycle, bus or auto

Just as Karnataka’s state police chief Praveen Sood reiterated last week that “no vehicle shall be stopped merely for checking documents unless it has committed a traffic violation visible to the naked eye”, Bengaluru city traffic commissioner Ravikanthe Gowda issued a statement Wednesday stating that pre-university (PU) students will not be allowed to take motor vehicles to college because they do not meet the minimum age (18 years) criteria to procure the driving licence, according to the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules.

However, Gowda clarified that although the students would not be stopped randomly for check on violations, awareness will be created among teachers and students in colleges to strictly forbid those aged below 18 years from using motor vehicles.

“We are creating awareness in colleges to encourage students to use other modes of transportation like bicycle, bus or auto. If we come to know that a student has erred, the vehicle will be impounded and action will be taken against their parents. They will be fined and chargesheeted depending upon the offence,” Gowda told IE.com.

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As per the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules, driving licence for motorcycles without gear is issued for driving two-wheelers without gear such as scooters or mopeds with an engine capacity not exceeding 50 cc. To apply for such a licence, an individual should have completed 16 years of age. However, to apply for a licence for light motor vehicles such as cars, bikes, an individual should have completed 18 years of age.

Gowda said that as per the rulebook anybody under the age of 18 cannot drive a motor vehicle. “A lot of PU students who are 16 or 17 years old illegally commute to colleges without a licence and documentation. We had wanted to strictly enforce the rule two years ago but couldn’t due to the pandemic,” he said.

Gowda also stressed that students who have applied for a learning licence, ought to have an ‘L’ board pasted on their vehicle.

Chandrashekarappa, principal of Surana College, near South End Circle said, “During the assembly sessions, we keep asking students, who are under 18 years, to not bring their motor vehicles to the institution. No parking facility will be provided to students who do not have a driving licence. This rule will be strictly implemented in the coming years because classes are offline now.”

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P V Sneha, DCP (Crime) of Belgavi said, “We have been creating awareness about this rule in colleges every year. This year too we have informed the colleges to strictly forbid students who are under 18 years of age from bringing motor vehicles to the campus. If they are found violating, FIR will be registered against the parents, as per the rules.”

Sanath Prasad

Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More

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