

HYDERABAD: Taking a Learner’s Licence (LL) test is set to become easier in the state, with applicants likely to be able to appear for the examination from their homes within a week. According to officials, the Transport department is preparing to roll out an AI-enabled testing facility through the Centre’s Sarathi portal, doing away with the need for applicants to visit Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) for the test.
Speaking to TNIE, Transport Commissioner K Ilambarithi said that the initiative will be piloted in a week’s time throughout the state. The system will allow candidates to take the examination on a computer or laptop, with webcam-based authentication and continuous monitoring to prevent impersonation and malpractice. The candidates will also be given an option to take the test in the RTO office, he added.
The new system, developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), will use facial recognition to establish the identity of applicants before allowing them to take the test. Candidates will have to log in using their application number, password and date of birth, following which their live image will be matched with the photograph submitted during registration.
Liveness detection
The verification process will also include liveness detection to ensure that the person appearing for the test is physically present. Candidates will be asked to smile five times and blink their eyes five times in front of the webcam. The system will analyse these facial movements in real time to rule out attempts to use photographs or prerecorded videos. Verification will be terminated if more than one face is detected.
The test will be conducted through the Safe Exam Browser (SEB), which prevents candidates from accessing other websites, applications and system functions during the examination. Applicants who fail facial authentication after exhausting the permitted attempts will have to visit the RTO for alternative verification.
On completion of the test, candidates will be shown their scores and results. Those securing the required qualifying marks will be marked as passed, and eligible applications will be automatically approved. Applications requiring additional scrutiny will be referred to the authorities concerned for verification.
Successful candidates will be able to download their Learner’s Licence PDF, which will carry examination details and a QR code for verification. The portal will also provide a separate response analysis report showing the correct, incorrect and unanswered questions.