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Comment by goombastic | Hacker News Reader

This is nothing. Every time somebody finds an easier way of doing things, the government and the babucracy finds a way of muscling in and making it as bad as all the earlier options. Some of it is not bad, but others are nuts. I should start a list.

- Vehicles registered in one state cant be used for too long in another state

- Banks have insane policies

- Online electronic tax filing requires that you complete the process in paper format as well. To complete the electronic process you have to send it in by normal snail mail as well. And you cant get acknowledgments.

- Universities don't recognize each other between states

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> Vehicles registered in one state cant be used for too long in another state

They can, if you stay for over 6 months you have to pay road tax for the state in which you are residing.

> Universities don't recognize each other between states

Universities are recognized by the Central government not by the states, all recognized universities remain recognized throughout India. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Grants_Commission_%2...)

Welcome to India, experience teaches you more than what the documents tell you. Given the downvotes, I need to explain.

Vehicles why do you even need to pay across multiple states, pay once, get it to run across India. I don't see a justification for state by state rules on how you use your vehicle. Instead you get cop-stopped, you get questioned, and let off by the usual methods, you know which.

Yes, universities are recognized, but I know from experience that some state universities do not recognize courses from the University of Delhi. Been there and lost 2 years fighting the system, the bitterness doesn't go away.

> Online electronic tax filing requires that you complete the process in paper format as well. To complete the electronic process you have to send it in by normal snail mail as well. And you cant get acknowledgments.

Well, you certainly can digitally sign your return - then you won't have to send your physically signed copy.

Yes but obtaining a digital certificate requires paperwork as well. And not to forget, renewing it every year (or two).

There's not too good a way to get around that, is there? You do need to establish your identity by some means initially. Perhaps they can let you renew at less frequent intervals (like they do with passports), but other than that, what do you propose?

The Australian Tax Office will send you an assessment notice after you've filed your tax return, confirming what they believe your income and tax for the past year to be.

When filing online, you can obtain a digital cert by supplying the serial number from last year's assessment.

True that. MTNL was surprisingly efficient though. Accepted online payment (&cheap) + least paperwork; I signed up for a 2 year certificate.

Upvote simply because of babucracy - that's a great term.

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