Chadayamangalam: Applicants for the Learner's test at the Chadayamangalam RTO office are enduring significant hardship. The office gate opens only at 8:30 am, yet queues start forming as early as 6 am, even though the test is scheduled for 10 am.

While applicants are usually given a specific time slot when they apply for the learner's test, the system has devolved. Instead of adhering to the schedule, earlycomers are now called first, forcing people to queue outside the RTO office from dawn.

Currently, only four individuals can take the test at a time. This capacity was reduced from five per slot to four after one of the computer systems broke down. The RTO office is located on the first floor of the Panchayat Shopping Complex in the Chadayamangalam Junction market. The space is incredibly cramped; there's no room to move. Test-takers are forced to sit in the office corridor.

The learner's test itself is conducted in a room adjacent to the main office area. Those waiting since early morning have no access to seating or drinking water. Women, among others, are arriving early, only to find no toilet facilities either. Despite repeated complaints, the authorities have consistently ignored the situation.