By Ruchika S
We have an expose by a 21-year-old communications student in Bengaluru about the corrupt ways of the Koramangala Regional Transport Office (RTO). She applied for a permanent driving licence through her driving school, and found that the RTO officials were granting the permits without proper tests. Here is her first person account that will shock you.
THE FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT
Recently, I joined a popular driving school in Bengaluru. Traffic was minimal and the usually congested city was quiet; flaunting its broad roads and the otherwise unnoticeable greenery. It was the perfect time to learn. Had I begun anytime else, I’d stay paralysed behind the wheel, unable to move an inch in the world-renowned Bengaluru traffic.
Time moved swiftly; I got my learner’s licence, finished my lessons, mastered the art of driving (hopefully) and applied for a permanent driving licence. I didn’t doubt my ability but I’ve always found tests daunting. What if I fail miserably or stay blank when asked about a road sign? And so, I prepared thoroughly as I was unsure of the process. I went through the rules and road signs, practiced around curves and heavy traffic and focused on acing parallel parking; the ultimate task.
D-day came by. I reached the venue and awaited my turn. I could see close to 20 other individuals, holding their documents and waiting in silence. We were told to wait as the test would begin only after the inspector from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) arrived. A sense of nervousness filled the air and I quickly pulled out my phone, just to brush through road-signs once again.
After the inspector reached, everyone lined up with their scooters for the light motor vehicle without gears (MCWOG) test, after which the four-wheeler (Light motor vehicle-LMV) test would be conducted. We were asked to ride 70 metres on the scooter, displaying various hand signs before taking a U-turn. I kickstarted the scooter, handed over my documents to the inspector and powered the accelerator. I zoomed through the street until the landmark and began taking a U-turn and in the process, I noticed no one observing me or the other candidates. The inspector focused solely on the documents and within 30 seconds, I was done without anyone checking whether I or the others were truly fit to ride.
While it wasn’t right, I thought to myself that maybe this is just because it’s a scooter. The real test would be with a car where we’d be quizzed on various aspects, as well as our practical ability. We were paired with another candidate for the LMV test and had to complete the test one after the other, along with an instructor from the driving school seated adjacently. I repeated the exercise of handing my documents to the RTO inspector and got into the car. The candidate before me was asked to drive first. The second he got in, he went to put on his seatbelt but the instructor told him not to do so, and press the accelerator instead. The candidate was mildly confused, as was I, but I couldn’t fully comprehend the exchange between them. The car moved roughly 50 metres before the instructor asked him to switch places with me. I sat down, began to adjust my seat and put on my seat belt. “Don’t do that,” he chided in vernacular. I was confused but went ahead and placed my hand on the gear, trying to shift it from neutral to first. “Don’t do any of that, just press the accelerator, I’ll take care of the rest,” he reprimanded. I was shocked but followed his instructions. He pressed the clutch, break and shifted gears himself. This was possible as it was a vehicle from the driving school and had controls fitted on the passenger side too. Similar to the previous candidate, we drove 50 metres and parked. In the meantime, I looked at the RTO inspector to check if he was paying attention or noting down my skills and abilities. However, he wasn’t bothered to notice any candidate at all.
Once we got off the vehicle, I couldn’t process what had just happened. I stood there viewing other individuals complete their tests and now, unsurprisingly, they went through the same methods.
As I headed to the RTO, I understood what just happened. I was amazed and livid. My mind was filled with questions. How many were given licences without a real evaluation? Does this happen throughout the country? Is this why many on the roads have poor driving skills; parking haphazardly, overtaking on the wrong side and in recent years, driving on the wrong side too? I applied through my driving school and I am unaware of the process if one applies for a licence directly or perhaps, through another driving school. But after this experience, I wouldn’t be shocked if similar procedures were followed elsewhere.
The inspector and no one else knows if you possess what’s required to drive in the country, if you can understand and follow the rules and road signs, if you can take on heavy traffic, and most importantly, if you are a safe driver.
I can only hope for changes in the future. Stricter regulations are necessary for safety and not everyone should complete a driving licence test as easy as I did.
(The name is changed to protect her identity)
