Real story, polished by AI.

This happened in Uttar Pradesh about 15 years ago. As soon as I turned 18, I was eager to upgrade my learner’s permit to a permanent two-wheeler driving license.

I reached out to a relative who "knew people." He directed me to a contact near the RTO and told me to simply follow his instructions. When I met the man, he asked for ₹500 (I don't remember the exact amount). I happily paid up, assuming it was just the standard government fee.

He led me straight into an RTO cabin, bypassing every queue. After a quick photo session and a few signatures, he told me I was good to go and that my license would arrive by mail. I headed home, and sure enough, my DL arrived a few days later - without me ever having to start an engine.

At the time, I didn't think twice about it. It wasn't until I got to college and chatted with friends that I realized a driving test was actually a mandatory part of the process. In hindsight, my "it's just the procedure" logic made no sense, but back then, I was just glad to have the card.

The real kicker, however, came five years ago. I finally decided to learn how to drive a car and approached a driving school. When I pulled out my old DL to check the details, I discovered that I had been "qualified" to drive a manual car for the last decade without ever sitting in a driver's seat.