During my morning walk the young girl stopped me and asked me if there was any cyber café nearby. She was carrying an infant, and her husband was walking behind her carrying a large bag.

She had come from Prayagraj and had lost her wallet containing her Aadhar card in the train. He needed to download and print a copy so that he could appear in the examination.

I told him the directions to the shop, but also said that it would probably close so early on a cold and foggy morning. This examination was a computer-based examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for the recruitment of 7,500 Delhi Police constables. This center was a school in our colony whose owners had realized that conducting entrance and recruitment exams was a big business.

The examinations were conducted in multiple shifts over 15 days, which meant that the entire area was occupied by thousands of candidates and their accompanying relatives throughout the day.