Driving licences in India could soon come with separate colour schemes for Indian and foreign nationals, mandatory blood group and emergency contact details, and a tougher safe-driving assessment under proposed changes to the country’s motor vehicle rules. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has also proposed scrapping fees for changes to personal details on driving licences and simplifying documentation requirements for applicants.In a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, the ministry said driving licences issued or renewed by licensing authorities would have to be in the form of laminated or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) cards, with separate formats for Indian and foreign nationals.“Every driving licence issued or renewed by a licensing authority shall be in the form of a laminated or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) card in Form 7, and the form shall contain separate formats for driving licences issued or renewed for Indian nationals and foreign nationals, respectively,” the draft notification stated.The ministry has proposed raising the qualifying score for the safe-driving tutorial assessment from 60 per cent to 75 per cent. It has also suggested that the tutorial should last at least 30 minutes, tightening the assessment requirements for driving licence applicants.Under the proposed amendments, driving licences would have to include the holder’s blood group, mobile number and emergency contact numbers. The move is expected to make essential information more readily available when required.The draft rules also seek to streamline procedures for updating personal details on driving licences. Licensing authorities would be required to approve or reject applications for changes, including those related to name and address, within 15 days. Rejections would have to be accompanied by reasons.The ministry has also proposed removing fees for changes to personal details, including the applicant’s name and address.The draft amendments seek to revise documentation requirements for establishing identity, age and residence. The list of acceptable documents includes Aadhaar, passports, voter identity cards, e-ration cards and birth certificates, among others.The ministry has also proposed changes concerning affidavits and life insurance policies as supporting documents for age and address verification, while seeking to do away with the requirement for affidavits sworn before an executive magistrate or notary.Additionally, select online driving licence services completed through Aadhaar authentication could be exempted from fees under the proposal. The draft notification invites objections and suggestions from stakeholders within 30 days of its publication.