Getting a Driver's Licence in India...... in 21st Century.

 21st Century.

India Shining.
Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai.... Aagey Badh Raha Hai.

And still why does it feels like an achievement to get your basic rights in the first place.

The story goes like this that my first driver's licence expired some 18 months ago. The total careless that I am, I only realized once a cop stopped me and told me that its been six months that I was driving with an expired permit. I had got it in the year 1998 and since last almost one year I struggled like anything to get one done for myself. As it was already 6 months since expiration and Noida authority has no online file for my licence, they only requested me to come in person so they can get it renewed and I found it too tedious to visit Noida for the reason.

Pune Licencing authority was no different, half the time their online server is totally confusing, to upload the documents you first need to do a graduate course in graphic designing as the size of documents they allow to upload wasn't my cup of tea to squeeze something so small :) on top of that the appoints available are always two months ahead of the date you file the first application. And the unpredictable life that I live, on the first occasion of my first trial day I was too drunk to appear. Second time I made sure to remember the date but that day their server decided to go down only after we had spent 4 hours standing in the serpentine queue :). But that gave me an opportunity to visit any-day in next seven days and I visited on the very last day, got the bio-metric, documentation done but failed in the online test :D the super confident that I am, I didn't even looked at the board with signs to read them thinking that I've been driving for 21 years now, how hard it could be :) couldn't even score 5 marks out of 20 I guess of which 17 are mandatory to pass. I was surprised by the illogical questions and the answers that were correct as per the Authority. Posting some gem of these questions, take a look yourself and decide if they made any sense to you.

Next online test appointment I got was after another 20 odd days :) and I almost would have missed that today, had I missed the flight last night from Bangalore by a whisker. Finally the D day arrived today and I took some 20 mock tests today with my red eyes due to travel and sleepless night. In flat 4 minutes I was done with the test and the over smart invigilator asked me "Failed??" as I guess no one would have cleared the test that fast. I would have broken my own record if their mouse was any better on the 486 that they still use with those CRT monitors from Baba Adam's time. She looked at the screen saying "Pass" twice before telling me to go to the next window and collect my Learner's Licence :)

But could that be that easy?? No Sir, my luck wasn't any better today, as soon as I stepped out of the test room there came the power failure to make it even more interesting. And because of the failure the server didn't update the main system and the printing lady didn't receive my approved file :). Our office's server admin came to my rescue and told me to take a break of half an hour and as per his calculation the RTO server would sync everything every 45 minutes for sure. Bang On!! Exactly 45 minutes later I got a text stating "You have conquered the world, collect your trophy from the window" :D.
Now, the real test starts a month later when I will have to actually ride a motor cycle with gear in front of an audience :D followed by an LMV driving test too in front of a different audience before I am allowed to drive alone on the unsafe roads of my country.
Still, wifey pointed out that I couldn't control my smile throughout the next hour or so from the moment I got those precious two laminated papers saying that I could ride and drive a vehicle only when a Licence holder either sits pillion on my two wheeler or besides me in a four wheeler :D.
That made me wonder, why still there is so much struggle in India to get your basic rights in place? Few years ago getting a Passport was harrowing, now this. Is this how it is in the other countries too? If you have an experience of similar sorts from some other country do come and pacify me please. But if it is any better than this, I dunno how to react. As I guess we are still a few decades away from these things getting streamlined in our part of the world, aren't we?