‘Perfect test, yet forced to bribe for license’: Bengaluru man shares RTO ordeal

In a recent social media post, a Bengaluru resident shared an experience involving an alleged bribe demand at a Bengaluru Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The individual, who recently went for a driving test at Kasturi Nagar RTO, claims he was asked for ₹1,000 by a man at the gate shortly after successfully completing his test. Despite performing well and feeling confident in his driving abilities, he was told that the payment was “needed for the license process.”
The man wrote that other individuals waiting in line had also paid the same amount, suggesting that this was a common, unspoken requirement. Attempting to avoid suspicion, he initially told the person requesting the bribe that he had no cash, but was informed he could transfer the amount via PhonePe. Reluctantly, he sent the money, after which the man contacted someone for his name to proceed with the process.
In his Reddit post, the resident expressed regret, wishing he had resisted the demand. “I don’t know why I am typing this, but I wish I had stood up for this more,” he wrote. “At that time, I was just thinking about my license.”
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The Reddit post sparked a wave of responses from other users who shared similar experiences with the city’s RTO offices, suggesting that bribery and irregularities in the licensing process are common. One user commented, “Good for you, I’ve paid 3.5k.” They went on to recount their experience, where an instructor interfered with their driving test by controlling the clutch, brake, and even steering. Despite making an error during the simulator test, they were informed they had passed. “I truly understood that laws are a joke that day,” the user said, expressing disappointment at the system.
Another commenter, empathizing with the original poster, wrote, “Bribes are an open secret, so don’t blame yourself too much; try to be a little more vigilant next time.” They noted how quickly RTO officials seem to collect money from test-takers, adding that, “RTO people would make a lakh like this easily in a day.”
Several users pointed out the irony in how one might still be caught by Bengaluru Traffic Police for not wearing a helmet, despite going through a questionable licensing process.
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