People interested in obtaining the Private Hire Car Driver Vocational Licence (PDVL) have to attend a 10-hour course and then take a test comprising two papers.

Paper 1, on service quality and health and safety, has 50 multiple choice questions.

Paper 2 , on private-hire car rules and regulations, has 50 multiple choice questions

To pass Paper 1, you need to get 40 out of the 50 questions correct (80 per cent); for Paper 2, it is 43 out of 50 (86 per cent).

A candidate who scores 84 per cent in Paper 2 would be graded as having failed it.

Could some higher authority explain why the passing grade is set so high?

Are candidates expected to be extremely smart before they can get the vocational licence?

To sit for the test, a candidate has to study the contents of a textbook comprising 36 chapters and 298 pages, as well as four booklets.

There are candidates who have to retake the tests repeatedly, in particular, Paper 2.

I have sat for the tests and failed Paper 2 twice: The first time obtaining 72 per cent and the second time, 74 per cent.

I don’t know how many times I have to take the test before I can score 86 per cent and above.

I am 70 years old now and I really find the tests challenging and daunting because many of the questions require not just comprehension and knowledge, but questions that require memory recall. I feel this is rather unfair and inappropriate.

One question, for example, tests you on the penalty you will face for violating a rule and the choices given are:

A. a fine

B. a fine and demerit points

C. a fine and demerit points plus immediate suspension

D. a fine and demerit points plus licence revoked

There are many such questions and a candidate has to study and remember more than 100 offences and their respective penalties.

I can only provide a tiny voice to highlight the plight of drivers who are exasperated from repeating the tests, and I hope the authorities will look into this issue.