Living in India is becoming increasingly challenging for citizens, with corruption reportedly affecting everyday transactions and government services. A Reddit user shared their firsthand experiences, highlighting the difficulties of dealing with extra charges and unethical practices at shops, pharmacies, and government offices.
Extra Charges Everywhere
The user described the common practice of small, arbitrary fees being added by shopkeepers. “We already pay GST, taxes, and whatnot — literally on everything. But still, you’ll find shop owners adding random ‘extra’ charges like ‘cooling charges’ or ‘packing fees.’ These are illegal, and people like me who actually know the rules end up arguing. And when I do, everyone around says, ‘It’s just 3-4 rupees, why are you getting angry? Just give them.’ But why should I? If I had 3-4 rupees less, they wouldn’t give me the food, right? So why should I pay them extra just because they can get away with it?”
The user recounted an incident at a doctor’s clinic where medicines were sold in incomplete strips, and a billing error caused an overcharge. They expressed frustration that India exports free medicines to other countries while citizens are often overcharged at home.
Corruption in Government Offices
The Reddit user also highlighted issues in government offices, describing how even official processes require unofficial payments. Their mother, a government employee, recently had to navigate a medical reimbursement process after surgery. Despite submitting all documents correctly, she faced repeated delays and was forced to pay Rs 500 to an official just to get her file processed. When she checked back after a month, the official had not sent the file and demanded more money.
The user pointed out the difficulty of dealing with such corruption in daily life. “People say ‘India is growing,’ ‘India is shining,’ but how are we supposed to grow when basic honesty and responsibility don’t exist at the ground level? What do you even do in such situations? Like genuinely, how do you fight this system without losing your mind?”
This Reddit post reflects growing frustration among citizens over everyday corruption in both private and public sectors, from small shops to government offices. Many online users have engaged with the post, sharing similar experiences of what they call a systemic problem that impacts ordinary life.
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