Not many years ago, a driving licence could not be taken or renewed without the services of a middleman who charged hundreds of rupees for his service out of which bribes were paid to the RTO (Regional Transport Office) staff. It was a well-known institutionalised corruption. I renewed my 2-wheeler driving licence online recently. It was simpler and faster now than five years ago when the online facility was in the initial stage. Shri. Nitin Gadkari as the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways (2014 - ) has overhauled the procedure for renewal by changing over to an online system requiring just one visit to the RTO by the licensees. The acknowledgments and confirmations for documents, payment, appointment etc. submitted/made are received on the licensee's mobile phone.
The driving licence is renewed at the website of Parivahan Sewa https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/ . You will need access to any computer with an internet connection. A memory stick to save the downloaded documents and take them to where they can be printed and scanned if these equipment are not already connected to your computer. (It may also be possible to do it through mobile by downloading the app from PlayStore.) You will need two hard copies of your recent passport-size photo (and a scan of it), a medical form downloaded from the website and signed by an MBBS qualified registered doctor (and a scan of it), a filled up renewal application downloaded from the website, a scan of your signature, and pay Rs. 300/- online. After completing the online application process, you need to visit the RTO to hand over the documents and get yourself photographed. Below are the screenshots of the steps I followed online while renewing my 2-wheeler licence recently for reference but you may be able to do it entirely by yourself at the above website which is accessible 24x7.
On opening the website link above, click under 'Licence Related Services', the 'More' button of 'Other Services' (Screenshot 1). It will open another page wherein you need to select your state, in the drop-down window at the bottom, and then click on 'B Driving Licence' (Screenshot 2).
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| Screenshot 1 |
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| Screenshot 2 |
Please check that your Aadhaar Card details such as Name, Date of Birth and Father’s name/spouse name exactly match your existing Driving Licence and the information you gave to the RTO earlier. If so, on the next page that opens, click on 'Renewal of DL' in the blue options box (Screenshot 3). If not, close the box and on the page behind it, click on 'Apply for DL Renewal' - 3rd from the top left (Screenshot 4). (You can exit at any step of your application process and restart it later from this page the link for which is https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/sarat.../stateSelectBean.do)
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| Screenshot 3 |
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| Screenshot 4 |
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| Screenshot 5 |
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| Screenshot 6 |
Your existing driving licence details will appear on the next page. If the information is correct scroll down to 'Confirmed that the above Driving Licence details are mine', click open the drop-down window marked 'Select' and click on Yes. Next, select the category of driving licence holders to which you belong by clicking on the drop-down menu, select the RTO from the menu next to it. (If the information is incorrect, select 'No' and follow the instructions thereon.) Then, click on 'Proceed' at the bottom of the page. (Screenshot 7)
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| Screenshot 7 |
On the next page, scroll down, and enter your mobile number (linked to your Aadhaar card) and your email ID. Click 'Confirm'.
On the next page, select 'Submit via Aadhaar authentication' and click on Submit (follow (a) below). If the details on your Aadhaar and driving licence do not match, select 'Submit without Aadhaar identification' and click on Submit (follow (b) below).
(a) On the next page, enter the Aadhaar number, select all the boxes below, and click on Generate OTP. Enter the OTP number received on your mobile and then click 'Authenticate' (Screenshot 8).
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| Screenshot 8 |
(b) On the next page, enter the mobile number and click on 'Generate OTP'. Enter on the page the OTP received on your mobile and click 'Authenticate with Sarathi' (Screenshot 9).
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| Screenshot 9 |
On the next page, select 'Renewal of DL' and click on 'Proceed'. Next, you have to upload scans of the following documents:
- Form 1A
- A scan of your signature (of size less than 20 kb)
- A scan of your passport-size photograph (keep its kb size within the prescribed limit)
I haven't provided the screenshot of this page as only those yet to renew the licence can access it.
You can make the fee payment, print the application forms, upload the documents and choose an appointment with the RTO on the same page shown in Screenshot 4 above (Screenshot 10).
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| Screenshot 10 |
(Tindivanam RTO is about 30 km on the highway from Morattandi tollgate, near Auroville. Wear a helmet, enjoy the long ride safely, and reach there at the appointed time.) Handover to the staff member at the main entrance of the office the following hardcopies:
- Existing driving licence (Original one with the hologram of the state govt. symbol)
- The booking slot confirmation slip (Appointment slip)
- Filled and signed Form 1A (medical fitness)
- Filled and signed Form 2 &
-Fee payment acknowledgement slip
He would browse the papers and approve them. Next take them to the photography room where your photo and digital signature will be taken. You can collect your new driving licence the same day evening by 5 pm or the next day, at the dispatch window of the office. When you get a message on your mobile that the licence is issued, check on the website that your photo, signature and other details are correct. (I was amused to find somebody else's signature in the place for mine on my licence. So, the next day after collecting my licence from the dispatch clerk I showed the photographer that it was not my signature but she said it was "alright" probably because it could be corrected later. I gently insisted that the correct signature be printed on the DL immediately and re-issued to me and that I didn't want to come another day for this. Then she got it done within an hour after taking my photo and signature afresh.)
Vehicle insurance can also be renewed online, on or before the due date. If not it can be renewed by visiting the Insurance office with the vehicle.
There is institutionalised corruption in many of the government services - electricity boards, business licensing authorities, police, railways, telecommunication etc. A determined Minister, such as Shri. Nitin Gadkari can bring about systemic changes to eradicate corruption but if the people still prefer to bribe and stay within their comfort zones, corruption would still thrive. The Mother once told someone complaining about the corruption in the country that if one is determined not to bribe he need not have to. I have seen this to be practically true many times. Sri Aurobindo published a booklet titled The Renaissance in India in 1920 wherein he wrote that it is because Indians' public life became most egoistic, self-seeking, materialistic that they fell. Perhaps the transformation of the public life, the beginning of which may be seen in efforts like this to eliminate corruption through computerisation and online access to users, would be indispensable for the rise of true India. All who aspire for the City at the Service of Truth, Auroville, to manifest integrally, ought to ensure that they do not directly or indirectly contribute to corruption.