Online driving license registration and smart card system in Nepal, putting technology into government work!

Let’s forget where the world is heading today. In Nepal, it’s time to declare ODF – open defecation free villages or even wards of villages and municipalities and meanwhile, our government crawling to bring effective public service delivery via online systems has finally brought a testing version of online driving license registration system (DLRS) – officially named Nepal Electronic Driving License and Vehicle Registration System – this week. This online driving license registration system has come into deployment only after one year of introducing driving smart card system in select cities.
Transport Management Office, Bagmati under the Department of Transport Management (DoTM Bagmati) has launched online driving licence registration system, available at their official website at http://www.dotm.gov.np/ starting December 25, 2016 (Push 10, 2073).
Applicants wanting to get a driving license can submit their applications online and check the written exam date. On this pseudo e-Governance service, applicants need to click on the ‘Online Driving Licence Form’ link to download the form and submit it online – meaning not a fully automated system (however, on accessing the system it is found that one can fill the application fully and submit it online, records can be downloaded for future references and proof/exam admit card as well.)

Limitations of DoTM’s Online Driving License Registration System

The online application system is currently entertains applications only for the two-wheelers (motorcycle, scooter and moped) while DoTM states the online licensing application system of Nepal will be available for three-wheeler/ four wheeler and heavy vehicles, including bulldozer and roller gradually; and followed by system availability outside of the Kathmandu Valley.
Another downside of the online license application system is that the system doesn’t accept more than 500 applications a day. According to DoTM Bagmati this limitation of online licensing system is only for the time being.

Vehicle licensing is now a stronger than SLC meant iron gate as applicants had to wait for months, well many months just to apply for the license, written and vehicle trial examination are another long go.
Once the application is submitted, the system provides the concerned application with a unique reference number and other necessary details, which should be produced while sitting for written exam on a date prescribed by the Transport Management Office.

Smart Driving License in Nepal

According to the Department of Transport Management, the online system aims to make the driving licence application process efficient and hassle-free. After the launch of the online application system, people will not have to wait in long queues to submit their driving licence applications.
“The online system will eliminate long queues at the Transport Management Office and bring about transparency in issuance of driving licence. It is also a stepping stone towards making government offices paperless,” Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak, adding, “We will gradually launch online application system in the other parts of the country.” – via THT
The Transport Management Department, Bagmati Zone so far has distributed more than 10 thousands of smart driving licenses since it was introduced on December 18, 2015 with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Smart driving licenses has not been made available at all license offices of DoTM despite claims that ‘smart card system’ would go into force while issuing the driving license across the country from the month of November 2016.

Technology for ease or frightening?

Online System jokes 😀 , So I need to stay awake at 12 midnight to get in the 500 daily limit? Why cant I apply at my convenience? pic.twitter.com/sF2FA6GAzQ

— Subash Sharma (@subashsharma) December 26, 2016

If you have not noticed earlier, the Vehicle Registration System (VRS) available at DoTM’s website has been under construction for months by now. And we have seen no notice of it getting online anytime sooner.
Let’s hope that this online Nepal Electronic Driving License and Vehicle Registration System’s driving license online registration system will help potential applicants as DoTM’s developers have published a well explanatory documentation on how to fill the online driving license form.
Now that we citizens wait to see how these online driving license registration and smart card system in Nepal go into use, and putting technology into government work can be questioned only after us getting proper government services online. What’s your say? Share your driving license applications woes.