New Delhi, July 22 -- Vikash had never been to Delhi. For most of his life, the national capital existed on the small screens through which millions of young Indians now encounter their country through television, YouTube, Instagram and the endless flow of social media.

He comes from Dumri in Jharkhand's Giridih district, a region once associated with Maoist insurgency, underdevelopment and a troubled relationship between peripheral communities and the State. His father is a farmer-cum-carpenter, moving between agriculture and carpentry to sustain the family.

Vikash once dreamed of becoming a doctor. He prepared for the NEET, but ambition carries a different price for the poor. Competitive examinations are not fought with merit alone; t...