> I would say 99% of Indian drivers will fail any DMV tests (both written and behind-the-wheel) conducted in states such as California.
In reality, no, it wouldn't be anywhere close to this figure. People are quite good at adapting to other countries, laws and systems. Given the Indian education system's higher emphasis on rote memorization, they would pass the written tests as much or more than people from many other countries. The actual driving test could be a problem only for the people who find it difficult to switch from right hand drive to left hand drive.
Of course, one can pass the test by reading a DMV booklet. That's not the issue. Lets take a DMV test paper, and remove questions that deal with numbers (speed limits, alcohol contents, etc), and just give a subset of questions that are focussed on safety. Any experienced driver can answer these questions correctly, not because these drivers memorize by rote learning, but because they would have figured the reasons behind rules (similar to ratio legis in law).
Don't over take vehicles at turns. That's illegal, says the booklet. Why this rule is there? You can't see the oncoming traffic. Similarly, don't over take vehicles on uphill. Same reason: you can't see vehicles coming from the other direction. Every Indian driver in India violates this basic rule. One such driver went to visit a national park in Alaska, thereby killing four people in his vehicle and paralyzing a couple of guys in the oncoming vehicle.
I think they meant they would fail it without preparation. As a former Indian driver myself (still Indian :-P, but don't drive there) I'd happily wager that a vast majority of drivers who learned and have driven only in India would fail a behind-the-wheel test in the US. I've failed a couple myself, even with lots of practice (I'm gonna cite nerves, instead of a lack of knowledge, in my case but still).
In reality, no, it wouldn't be anywhere close to this figure. People are quite good at adapting to other countries, laws and systems. Given the Indian education system's higher emphasis on rote memorization, they would pass the written tests as much or more than people from many other countries. The actual driving test could be a problem only for the people who find it difficult to switch from right hand drive to left hand drive.
I agree with the rest of your points though.