I promised my friend that I will write a blog post talking about my experience of driving license renewal process. Here is my experience:
Since driving license renewal involves an Govt. agency called as RTO (Regional/Road Transport Office) with its reputation for depressing offices and un-helpful staff. Naturally anyone would shudder at the thought of visiting the RTO office and getting something done in a single visit.
I will talk about mobile App later. First let's use online service call SARATHI. Gone are the days when govt. websites consisted cyptic acronyms. Since it offers driver related services, sanskrit word for driver 'SARATHI' is very apt name to refer to the website that offers various online services.
Where 'SPACE' means press SPACE button on your keyboard.
Address Proof
Your need to prepare scanned copies of various documents. I will mention two important ones. First is address proof, acceptable documents include. Aadhar card with DOB on it, LIC policy, Voter ID card, or Passport surprising does not include electricity bill.
Medical Certificate
The other importat document could be appear daunting. It is medical certificate aka Form 1A to be filled by Govt. approved doctor. Too bad they do not have this form to under Download Forms section, but it is available on the Internet on some other govt. website. Now where do you find Govt. approved doctor. Any reputated GP in your area will do, they are familiar with the form, you need to provide them your blood group. For those in Blue Ridge township, doctors at Hinjewadi Hospital should be able to provide the medical certificate.
Passport Size Photos
Government loves you, so keep enough passport size photos.
For example: Blue Ridge Township would be under area "Infotech Park (Hinjawadi)", which comes under Pimpri-Chichwad RTO with its office located on Chikhali Road.
For your current DL, RTO office should be mentioned on it.
RTO Office Timings
Second and Fourth Saturdays RTO offices will be closed. On working days, time to accept applications is between 10 AM to 2 PM.
DL expiry
You can apply for reneway within a month of expiry of your current DL. You will have to explain why you waited till DL expired (out of country?).
Mobile App
I believe you should be able to do all of above process using mobile app too. Give it try:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nic.mparivahan&hl=en_IN
Easy and Online, you can do it yourself with some preparation !
Since driving license renewal involves an Govt. agency called as RTO (Regional/Road Transport Office) with its reputation for depressing offices and un-helpful staff. Naturally anyone would shudder at the thought of visiting the RTO office and getting something done in a single visit.
Good News
As citizens expectations change, government is bound to change, there is a begining of seismic shift (परिवर्तन) in the some govt. departments responsible for direct services to citizens. RTO is one such department. The process is now well defined (standard operating procedure / SOP) and partially online. It means you can now initiate the service request from comfort of your home using your desktop/laptop/smartphone.I will talk about mobile App later. First let's use online service call SARATHI. Gone are the days when govt. websites consisted cyptic acronyms. Since it offers driver related services, sanskrit word for driver 'SARATHI' is very apt name to refer to the website that offers various online services.
SARATHI is for Driving Licenses and of compiling the data with respect to Vehicle Registration and Driving Licenses of all the states in State Register and National Register
Here is starting point for you:
To navigate the website with ease and avoid confusion, all you need to understand is that you can Apply Online for two categories of services.
- Application for a new driving license (DL)
- Application for various services related to an existing driving license (DL)
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| Click Apply Online |
Click Apply Online to see links to all services. Notice Upload documents and Fee payment links, they are useful if you partially complete the process and want to come back later to do the rest of the steps.
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| DL Renewal |
Click on the appropriate link, for example for driving license renewal, click on Services on Driving License link. You should expect few instructions and later a form to filled, starting with your existing DL number.
This is a dumb form, no artificial intelligence (AI) here. So you need to format your DL number properly, examples:
Your DL No:RJ14 /0001234/2017 then type as RJ14'SPACE'/0001234/2017
Your DL No:MH01 20170001234 then type as MH01'SPACE'20170001234
Click on GO button and pray to database god. Why? To proceed futher your DL number and record related to it must exists in the "central" database. If it is found then all DL related fetched and displayed to you. Congratulations, thank database god !
Chicken and Egg
If your DL record is not present in the database, you will get this error message.
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| Too bad |
Now we have proverbial Chicken and Egg situation. Unless DL record is in the central database, any service related to the DL cannot be requested, including service to add DL record in the central database (in ideal world and perfect government it should be possible).
Good news is all you need to do is visit RTO office that issued your current DL and request them to bring it online i.e. add record to the database. Cost of doing this : Rs. 20. Time taken: in a day. In my case, I had to visit Sangli RTO, place where I did my engineering and got DL in the final year.
You can leave
There is another reason you will have to visit RTO office of your current DL, which is if you current address (which you want on your new DL) belongs to a different RTO. Then it is "you can check in anytime but you can never leave, unless your host RTO gives you no objection certification". Can I request for NOC online? Of course yes, it is just another service related to your existing DL.
Good To Go
At this point, you have you DL record in the database and you are ready to create application and choose one or more services that you want. From here on it is very intuitive. In fact once application is created, an application number is created, note it down. You can come back anytime later to complete other steps like Upload document against the your application number.
Following is summary of steps in general:
1. Create an application containing service request details.
2. Upload documents (black-white scanned copies)
After application number is successfully created, you can uploaded scanned/soft copies of relevant documents at your convenience, no pressure, no session time out.
3. Payment of fees (First check your Netbanking is working)
4. Printout of full application form and payment receipt
5. Physical visit to RTO office (in some cases in appoint slot, else between 10 AM to 2 PM) to submit printed application
6. Get Biometic done at RTO office (you will find out what it is)
7. Submit printed application after biometric done
8. Done, you have climbed the Mt. Everest, now take some rest ! You will get new DL after by post in two weeks.
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail
Your need to prepare scanned copies of various documents. I will mention two important ones. First is address proof, acceptable documents include. Aadhar card with DOB on it, LIC policy, Voter ID card, or Passport surprising does not include electricity bill.
Medical Certificate
The other importat document could be appear daunting. It is medical certificate aka Form 1A to be filled by Govt. approved doctor. Too bad they do not have this form to under Download Forms section, but it is available on the Internet on some other govt. website. Now where do you find Govt. approved doctor. Any reputated GP in your area will do, they are familiar with the form, you need to provide them your blood group. For those in Blue Ridge township, doctors at Hinjewadi Hospital should be able to provide the medical certificate.
Passport Size Photos
Government loves you, so keep enough passport size photos.
Important Tips
RTO Office
Visit Know your RTO table to find out which RTO is responsible for area of your present/permanent address, which you plan to use for your new DL.For example: Blue Ridge Township would be under area "Infotech Park (Hinjawadi)", which comes under Pimpri-Chichwad RTO with its office located on Chikhali Road.
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| RTO Look Up Table |
For your current DL, RTO office should be mentioned on it.
RTO Office Timings
Second and Fourth Saturdays RTO offices will be closed. On working days, time to accept applications is between 10 AM to 2 PM.
DL expiry
You can apply for reneway within a month of expiry of your current DL. You will have to explain why you waited till DL expired (out of country?).
Mobile App
I believe you should be able to do all of above process using mobile app too. Give it try:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nic.mparivahan&hl=en_IN
Final Comments
After all is done you will actually feel that process is too easy. Why didn't they test my driving skills and rules awareness once again? With so many lives lost every year on road, DL should be issued only to those who give first priority to SAFETY. You do not want any of your loved ones hit by some reckless driver. Think about it ...
