nonresidents' state tax with neither standard nor itemized deduction

[puravidapto]

As we know, nonresidents (except Indian students) cannot take standard deduction, and most often the only itemized deduction is the state tax but it is not a state deduction, this ends up with that they have no standard deduction and no itemized deduction on state returns for states that conform with federal rules, such as VA.

On the state form, both of the standard and itemized deduction are empty and if you file on paper, it will be on hold because the state treats it as incomplete. State expects a zero on the one of the deductions.

My question is: Is the state's expectation correct, or it is wrong that PTO does not put a number on one of the deductions? Please note that zero is not only a number but probably the most important number, also there is a difference between empty and zero in the same way between no answer and that the answer is no.