KIRAN LAMA/REJINA BASNET

Published On: September 19, 2018 11:39 AM NPT By: KIRAN LAMA/REJINA BASNET

Is queuing up the new nepali normal?

Is queuing up the new nepali normal?

KATHMANDU, Sept 19: The world’s officially entered into the digital era. Accessibility at the touch of a button, on your cell phone, is the proof to the statement. From utility bills to flight tickets, the online-system has them all. Nepal is also adopting the digitization in commerce, as well as government sectors. However, contrary to the efficient usage of the digital practices in private sectors, not all government offices have succeeded in systematizing the process, compelling the use of the traditional method of manual data-keeping. Even more frustrating is the sluggish work system. The Nepali government process requires service seekers to allocate an entire work-day to collect necessary signatures of concerned officials on their documents.

The transportation offices, throughout the country, are  prime examples of the slow administrative process. The Department of Transportation Management (DoTA) has an online-based application form for the service seeker’s convenience.  However, it’s common to find people standing in lines for hours to collect coupons that ensure further processes. 

The DoTA office at Ekantakuna exhibits a similar queue, on a day-to-day basis. Service seekers can be seen standing in suffocating corridors for long hours. We met Neetu Subba, a teacher at Lalitpur Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Lagankhel. She had filled an online form but had been standing in the line since eight in the morning. She was concerned that she would miss her 10:30 am class at school because the gates opened only after 10. 

Ram Poudel, a computer operator at Highway Link, had been in the queue since five in the morning. He came to submit his application for a driver’s license.  Poudel had filled an online application form for driving license on September 12. In hopes for finding prompt services, he chose to stand in a queue for five hours, until the office opened. “The online driving license registration system somehow makes the process easier. Yet, it is still time-consuming,” said Poudel.

Poudel sees the dire need to establish a token system to avoid the unmanaged queue system. “If the Transport Management Office implemented the token system, it would be productive. We wouldn’t have to waste our time if all procedures, like submitting forms and payments, are carried out online.” 

However, Shyam Kumar Singh -- director of Transport Management Office, said that it was a waste of time to stand in line since early morning. “The gates to submit new forms only open after 10 AM, and remain open until 2 PM. So, I think, it is pointless to come at early hours,” said Singh.

Before launching online application forms, about 2,000 people visited the office to apply for driver’s license. But after the online forms were introduced, only 500 two-wheelers and 300 four wheelers applicants can apply in one day.

When we further inquired about finding a solution to the unsystematic queue, he replied, “Budget constraint is keeping us from providing quality assistance to service seekers.” Singh didn’t hesitate to inform that the staff hadn’t received three month’s salary either. 

The scenario was similar at the National Examination Board (NEB), Sinamangal. Around 500 students were all queued up on Tuesday afternoon to collect their transcript. High school graduates had been lining up since the past month. 

The continuous process of people moving in and out could be seen all day. The crowd turned riotous as the sunlight continued to scorch, and the number of people increased. Everyone standing in the line had the same complaint.

Soniya Lamichhane was among the queuing students. She had been waiting for her turn for the past hour. “There is a system of token but it is not implemented effectively. It is causing people to stand in line for hours,” she shared.

“We have been continuously standing in line for almost two hours. After almost a week, we have to queue up again to collect our transcript. Had there been an online system, we would not be facing this problem”, Kamal Niraula, from Kavre, shared. 

As evident as it looked, the problem as such not only shows the absence of systematic management, but also a tremendous waste of time for the students that are already engaged in jobs. 

Sharada Gautam, the spokesperson at National Examination Board (NEB) Sinamangal, informed, “As we are deeply concerned about the sufferings faced by the students, we will most probably introduce the online filing system by next year. In the previous years, all the students across the nation were supposed to take their transcripts from Sano Thimi. However, with the introduction of decentralization, we distribute the transcripts to the students from eleven districts from this office. Students generally tend to bring their friends and family to obtain the transcript which makes the place even more congested. In the presidency of Dr Chandramani Poudel, training has already been given to the few office staffs regarding the online operation.” 





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