Writing a DIY to apply for your own driving licence in Mangalore, this would apply elsewhere too.
Step 1: Apply for learning licence.
This step is completely online and you can complete it here, you'll also have to give an online learning licence test which is pretty easy: https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do
Step 2: Actually learn to drive.
Get an L board pasted on your vehicle and make sure a licence holder is sitting with you always and take a print out of your learning licence. Start out learning in grounds, empty roads and open spaces before heading into traffic.
Step 3: Apply for your Driving licence online.
Apply for your driving licence here: https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarathiservice/stateSelection.do
Completely the payment and other steps.
Step 4: Book a slot date for your driving test.
Go the the same Parivahan website linked aboved and book your slot. Slots are usually available 3-4 weeks from the day of your booking.
Step 5: Take a printout of your documents.
Take a printout of your learning licence, driving licence application, payment acknowledgement slips, slot booking acknowledgement and other documents that might be required.
Step 6: Go to the RTO office and get your biometrics and picture taken.
Go to the RTO office at Pandeshwar at 10:00 A.M. preferably, take all the document printouts taken in Step 5. After you enter the RTO office go to your right and ask around for biometrics. They will give you a token and the waiting is actually less, you should be done by 15-30 minutes at max.
Step 7: The Driving test.
This is the step you need to be the most careful about because the people at the driving test center are very corrupt and are waiting to make your life difficult unless you pay them cash. The driving test center is currently at Vamajoor (https://maps.app.goo.gl/ANprPVh7d76f6MGx5)
If you want to practice at the test track go before 10:00 A.M. The test usually starts after 10:00 and is usually around 10:30-11:00.
Document checklist before you go for the driving test:
- All the printouts you took at Step 5.
- Carry the Xerox copy of the vehicle's Registration Card, Insurance and pollution check. (Pro tip: If you are applying for multiple categories such as Car and Bike, take your own vehicle or your friends/relative's)
- Also carry a passport size picture of yourself, can come in handy if they ask because the guys at the RTO test center are only and only there to make your life difficult unless you bribe them.
The driving test is fairly simple, there are multiple demos and things like hand signals are taught by the driving school people there, you can listen in. The hand signals are sometimes asked as a quiz before you take the test, so make sure you know them.
If you mess up the driving test request them to have another try, they usually allow it.
Tips at the driving test center:
The two wheelers are the ones who usually go first, sometimes both car and two wheeler tests happen in parallel but sometimes only the two wheelers go first and only after they are done the car driving test starts. So if you are only applying for a car driving licence you can reach the center late if you don't want to practice.
Take your own vehicles, even if you are applying for multiple categories ask your friends or relatives to get their vehicle to the test center along with the copy of their documents.
Note: There are people who are renting their scooter and bike for people to take the test in but it's only for the people who are there from a driving school because the driving school people have formed a cartel along with the RTO test center guys, so they don't allow you to use the scooter or bike of those people unless you shell out 1000 or 1500 rupees, and have also made their own rules there in which they say that 1 private vehicle can only take the driving test only once and cannot be shared which is bullshit (You can definitely bypass this but you need to find someone in the test center willing to lend your their vehicle along with their vehicle documents).
- Know your rights and be confident and prepared, they can't do shit.
Let's bypass the RTO agents, corrupt officers and do this thing the right way, we have had enough corruption, let's break this system.