For lakhs of young Indians, the national civil services examination is not just a test: it becomes part of who they are. More than 10 lakh aspirants take the examination every year. Many spend several years preparing, often relocating to coaching hubs such as Delhi and Hyderabad.

With only around a thousand positions on offer, however, the examination is among the world’s most competitive. Experts are concerned that this prolonged, high-stakes process is also reshaping aspirants’ sense of self.