Pathetic State of Indian Bureaucracy in 2024

My experiences related to Taking a Licence, Name Modification

Learning Licence

I want to buy a bike, which, of course, requires a license.

You would think that in the year 2024, the process would be smooth, right?

Well, you’re completely wrong.

It’s a frustrating and inefficient experience.

Let me start from the beginning.

I went to the online portal via Google Haryana Transport, which had links related to license services. I clicked on the LL Application link, which took me to Sarathi Parivahan.

The entire application process is on this site. So, now, let’s talk about the UI/UX.

The website, developed by NIC (National Informatics Centre), looks amateurish. It feels like a tier-3 college student’s project. Throughout the application process, you need to enter the application number and date of birth at each step due to poor state management. Once you enter those two, it will remember them only for that page. The application form is cluttered, like most components on the website.

Functionality-wise, it’s average. For instance, even if you’ve filled all the star-marked fields, one page won’t let you proceed, prompting you to fill out a physical form. After much frustration, you’ll only realize how to open and fill out the form by watching a couple of YouTube videos.

After spending significant time on the website and going through videos and Google searches, finally, I was finally able to complete the application. But it didn’t exempt booking an RTO slot, which is shown in most of the videos.

I visited the RTO, SDM Badshahpur for my learner’s test, as advised by the online portal.

Despite showing my appointment letter, the enquiry counter staff kept saying that I needed to take the test online. After a lengthy discussion, he said OK you can go inside and enquire. The second person sitting at one of the desks said that my application was not showing and that I needed to get it transferred from Gurugram to here.

At this point, I knew what was happening, typical bureaucratic process.

I wrote the complaint on the online portal. Sent an email to helpdesk-sarathi@gov.in but didn’t get any answer.

After some research, I got to know that the online test is only available in selected states (don’t know which ones).

So, what will I do now after wasting my time, money, and effort and getting nowhere?

I’ll find a broker (unauthorized, of course) and pay him to either get the license or at least sort out the learner’s license.

That’s what most Indians are doing.

59% of drivers have not taken a driving test while getting a licence.

— survey by Save Life Foundation

Despite its genuine economic progress, though, India remained a chaotic and impoverished place: largely divided by religion and caste, captive to the whims of corrupt local officials and power brokers, hamstrung by a parochial bureaucracy that was resistant to change.

— Barack Obama

Can we call ourselves Vishwa Guru?

No Need For Driving Tests At RTO

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced new regulations for obtaining a driving license in India.

The only important regulation relevant to us is that now you can take the driving test at your driving school itself, no need to go to the RTO.

Great news, right?

Not so soon!

I’ve talked to various driving schools in Haryana, especially Maruti Suzuki, and they said that they still can’t meet the requirements.

Which means, it would take a year or two to get rid of RTO.

I wrote this article to express my anger and frustration with the bureaucratic process that I had to deal with. I’ll add more content and format the existing one in future.

Comment your thoughts.