KATHMANDU, May 19: Four trial centers in the Kathmandu Valley have halted their services for driving license practical tests from Thursday.
Easy Way Trial Center in Radhe Radhe, Bhaktapur, Vehicle Academy and Research Center Pvt Ltd in Gurjudhara, Nepal Driving and Reconditioning Center Pvt Ltd in Gokarneshwar, and Suzuki Driving School Pvt Ltd in Ekantakuna have halted their services as per the directive of the National Vigilance Center (NVC).
The closure has left candidates who have passed the written exam and are awaiting their practical tests in a difficult situation. On Thursday, approximately 2,000 candidates were scheduled for practical tests across these four centers. However, the tests were abruptly stopped when the Valley Traffic Office failed to send its representatives to conduct them.
Balram Niraula, secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Transport of Bagmati Province, stated that the closures follow instructions from the NVC. "According to a letter sent by the NVC, we are forming a technical team to inspect the trial centers. The exams will remain suspended until the team completes its report," Niraula said. "The team will verify whether the trial centers meet the required criteria. The trials will resume in coordination with the NVC once the inspections are complete," he added.
Previously, the NVC had instructed trial centers to adhere to prescribed guidelines and standards or face closure.
The NVC has issued notices to several bodies, including the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Bagmati Province Chief Minister's Office, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Transport, the Transport Management Department, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, and the district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur.
The NVC concluded that some trial centers in the valley were failing examinees intentionally without conducting the practical tests as per the prescribed standards. A team formed in mid-March conducted a detailed study and monitoring of these centers, revealing that they did not follow the standards set by the Operational Guidelines for Driving Test Centers of 2074 BS.
Additionally, the NVC has recommended that drivers be allowed to use their own vehicles during the trial period. While the provincial transport ministry has sent a letter to the NVC on this matter, it has not provided further clarification. The trial centers are currently under the jurisdiction of the Bagmati Province Government.