My quest for getting my license was actually a learning
lesson. The things that seem so complicated are not that complicated, and
things that seem so very easy are actually are not a piece of cake. My blog
below will sum up my ‘easy’ and ‘complicated’.
I am an Indian married woman 39 years of age. I have
driven cars since I was 17 years old. Yes, so 17 is not even a legal age in
India to drive. Then, I knew someone who knew someone who could ready my driver’s
license and I had to do nothing. So when I was not even an adult, I got my
license made in Uttar Pradesh. Pro that- I got my license, Con that- I was not
mature enough to drive & also majority of my details on the license were
wrong. Since I did not want to deal with the trouble of going through the drivers
test and all, I did not fret much about my ID…and pursued with it. In the mean
time I got into a major accident and gave up driving completely when I turned 18 !
I say major not because of any injury to me or my car, but the car that bumped
into mine had a major damage. Being naïve I gave my fathers phone number to the
man whose car I bumped into…and then Papa had to pay almost 4k almost 20 years
back, which really hurt. I weaned away from the steering wheel. After I got
married, in normal progression of prosperity... came a time where we thought of
buying a car. One of us had to drive…that is when I had to end my sabbatical.
So technically I am driving since 2010 on my non-corresponding license. Just
last year in March 2019 my 20 years long forgery had to end. "Then the camel was under the mountain".
The folklore in our country shouts to do things in a ‘tedaa’
way all the time. So I just started talking to driving schools and agents who
could do this for me. It never occurred to me that Govt has designed a process
online for my quandary. After talking to about 10 agents I understood that the
running rate of getting a license was around 5-6K. I thought I could renew my
license and then would pay lesser amount. But my old counterfeit ID card had no
results found!!! As it is my Name, my fathers name, my age were all wrong. The
DNA did not match at the sight itself! I understood I could only file for new
driver’s license. By this time…my license had already expired. My husband does
a lot of his banking and, shopping and learning online. He knocked my senses to
see what the process is online. I went to https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/
, selected my state and Drivers License in the dropdown. And thus I started my PHD in Driver's License.
1: I Started my application for New Drivers License. For
that you would need pay online fee Rs 300 and then submit your form online and
then take a date for the computer based test. The waiting on dates in Pune is
always very heavy. So if you know that your license is going to expire, run the
marathon and get the date beforehand. This is where the agents have a monopoly
of getting the dates. I still don’t know how?…but they can get you dates really
soon. That is where you would not mind paying them. Post that I got the date 2
months ahead. For a LL of a 4 wheeler the fee is Rs 201. Keep the payment receipt
handy on the day of test. Documents needed can be found of the sarathi website.
2: I have driven so much in India and abroad that I thought
I will not need to study. But when I started taking mock tests…I was just
getting close to passing marks. In the computer based test you need to get 9/15 or 60% to pass. I got a 12 after studying also it is time bound. I think each
question should be completed in 30 seconds. In pune you get to use a personal
desktop if the crowd is much they put the questions on the projector. You are
given remotes to key in your answers. Either ways…one must study before the
test. There are mock tests all over the internet, even the sarathi website has
the test practices that too time bound.
Note: My LL computer test was scheduled at 1 pm, I came to
know through an agent that we can go as early as possible and give the test. I
went as early as 10 am and marooned the jittery crowd later.
3: After passing this test one needs to book a road test.
Road test can only be booked after 1 week of passing the Learners Test. So the
window open would be anywhere between 1 to 6 months post computer test. They
assume after the road test you at least practice driving for a month before
appearing for the skill road test. The road test dates in Pune were not easily
available. I had to recourse to an agent to get a date online for me as I was
moving to USA soon.
4: In Pune the skill test for 4 wheeler was at a different
venue(http://www.idtrpune.org/). Check that before applying. You pay for the vehicle you use to give the
test. Your owned vehicles are not allowed on the ramp. Either you pay for the
vehicle online or ask an agent to arrange it for you. I went through the agent.
So with the road test date he arranged the vehicle for me and charged me Rs. 1000
(Rs 500 for date and Rs 500 for vehicle).
5: My ego was still boosting and growing as an experienced
driver. I had passed my computer test…now a ‘Halwa’ road test and then I would
have my license in hand. I had driven in UP, I drove Pune-Mumbai several times,
also driven internationally. What could possibly go wrong? My husband did warn
me to see some videos, but I was an undefeated driving champion in my head. I said
piece of cake….and went for my road test. Again the appointment time does not
matter. I drove myself and reached as early as 9 am. There were 3 tests that my
agent had informed about:
1>
8 test
2>
H test
3>
Steep hill/ Up gradient test
I stood before the ramps and said this just so simple. There
are many bureaucrats controlling the tests fields. They sometimes behave like the Britishers who ruled us and we civilians are just waiting to be taken
advantage of at our own will. So when you enter the venue, they give a receipt
of Rs 99 and a token number too. That is how you are lined up. The sooner you take
the receipt the sooner you take the test. I reached the venue at 9…but could
start my test only at 1 pm. That is how long one can expect to wait. There is a
waiting area too at the ramps.
They usually start with the 8 ramp. Instead of explaining I
rather share a video with you.
Up Gradient:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKM3GkOW5PU
6: Now comes the important part. I assume by now you must
know what is 8 test. So if you see the video, it is pretty simple. What I did
not know was that it is monitored by sensors. The white line/orange cones around the circuit
has sensors. So when we are driving the car, if by mistake also we touch the
perimeter of the track we fail. They deduct all the marks for that. They give
you marks for a good start, good pace, brakes applied. So I got a total of 50
marks out of 50 but since my car over rode the white mark the entire score of
50 got deducted and then I was failed. It took me lonnnnnnnnng 60 minutes to
understand this. Hence if you are giving
the road test, the key is to remain on 1st gear, stay clear from the
edges of the track. Even if you reverse the car, that also amounts to deduction
on marks. Below is an image of result paper.
7: Since I failed the test, they did not allow me to appear
for the other 2 tests. With a bruised heart I returned home, faced the people
sharing my news of defeat. People were overwhelmed to hear that I failed. That
night I sat and saw all the videos I shared with you.
One can only re-apply for the road test 2 weeks after the 1st
attempt. Anyways again I did not get a slot, so I knocked on my agent’s door,
this time he took another Rs 1000 and got me the date. That was one Rs 1k I
paid that really made me swell at heart.
8: I looked at the videos again and again and even tried
rehearsing it on an empty ground. H test seemed easy but the Up Gradient test
was a little unnerving. So on my second attempt I very smoothly finished my 8
test, then H test (this too has sensors, pls have a close look at the videos)
and then the uphill gradient test. They even allow to use the hand brake when
you stop up hill. All you need to do to accelerate so hard that your car does not roll
backwards and then get down the hill. I managed doing it.
Note: Only the 8 pattern test has the result given. Rest all
the tests do not disclose the results. That is why 8 pattern test is very
important. Sometimes I have heard, that if you clear the 8 and H test, they allow you
to forgo the Up Gradient test. But you never know. So be prepared in advance
.
At the end of it all, I have my 'all new license' with my correct
details and address on it.
Ab meri zindagi khushhaal hai, pareshaniyon ka main steering
mod ke hal nikaal hoon. I have new found respect for information on YouTube and
Indian Motor Driving Department. It was beyond my imagination that there could
be such a strict and precise system designed for us. Instead of paying
commissions and that too pay them by nose, we should really try things online
ourselves. That’s a WIN WIN for all !!!
