The six prospective pioneers filtered by Shraddha Singh waited in the university courtyard, a small, highly anxious group sequestered from the lingering, curious crowd. Shraddha's filtering process had been ruthless and brilliant. She had discarded everyone who cited parental pressure or civil service ambition, keeping only those whose stated goals were too niche, too ambitious, or too unprofitable for traditional education. She had asked them: "What single obsession has your current education system failed to satisfy?"
Arjun stood before the six, feeling the familiar, quiet energy of the [University Aura] enveloping them. The aura was acting as a gentle truth serum, calming their nerves while sharpening their focus. Dr. Verma watched from the shadow of the portico, intrigued by the sheer diversity. He saw a girl clutching a battered ledger, a boy carrying a custom-made chess set, and a young man with a sketch pad filled with abstract, architectural diagrams.
"I only had time to check your basic filtering, Principal," Shraddha whispered to Arjun. "But I can guarantee they are all seeking something extraordinary. We need six more. Choose wisely."
Arjun nodded, activating the [Aptitude Scanner]. He had enough energy for six deep scans. He needed to confirm that the hidden aptitude was high enough to justify the full scholarship. He addressed the group, skipping the pleasantries.
"This university is not about passing exams. It is about building the future," Arjun began, his gaze sweeping over them. "Tell me about your failure. Not the grade you failed, but the idea you couldn't execute because the world told you it was impossible."
He pointed to a young woman, Lalita Devi, whose hands were stained with indigo dye. Lalita's face was earnest and determined.
(Paragraph 2: The Strategists (Lalita & Gaurav) - 900 words)
Lalita spoke first, clutching her ledger. "Sir, I run a small business selling my mother's handcrafted textiles. We sell 50 pieces a week locally. I tried to calculate the optimal route for raw materials and the fastest way to get the finished goods to Mumbai to sell them for three times the price. But the variables—truck costs, road taxes, perishable dyes, demand curves—I couldn't model it. I failed my mathematics exam because I refused to solve a problem about trains leaving stations; I wanted to solve a problem about textiles leaving Patna. They called me insubordinate."
Arjun scanned her.
[System]: "Scanning subject: Lalita Devi."
Name: Lalita Devi
Aptitude - Resource Optimization/Supply Chain Logic: S-
Aptitude - Business Acumen: A
Status: "Born optimizer. Needs computational tools to scale innate ability."
An S-Rank Logistical mind. In the 2000s, logistics was manual and chaotic. In the future, this was the mind that would build India's e-commerce backend. "Lalita, we are building a lab for Operational Research. Your classroom is a computer, and your textbook is the global market. You start tomorrow."
Next was Gaurav Sen, the young man with the chess set. He looked disappointed in the world.
"My failure is in history," Gaurav stated simply. "I believe the greatest secrets of strategic intelligence are not in military doctrine, but in ancient Indian board games—Chaturanga, Chaupar. I designed a new form of 3D chess, where time and space are variables, but no one could understand the complex, multi-layered rules. My school principal called it a waste of time. I want to build a machine that plays my 3D chess, one that can predict human weakness a thousand moves ahead."
Arjun scanned Gaurav.
[System]: "Scanning subject: Gaurav Sen."
Name: Gaurav Sen
Aptitude - Tactical Modeling/Predictive Algorithms: A+
Aptitude - Abstract Reasoning: S-
Status: "Unconventional S-Rank strategist. Perfect for future AI gaming and defense theory."
"Gaurav," Arjun said, meeting his intense gaze. "We will give you the tools to teach a machine your game. The military strategy will follow. You are our Tactical Analyst."
(Paragraph 3: The Visionaries (Hassan & Meenakshi) - 900 words)
He moved to Hassan Khan, the poet. Hassan looked the most out of place, clutching a worn volume of Urdu poetry.
"I failed my engineering entrance because I spent the last three years studying the cadence and rhythm of language," Hassan confessed. "I believe human communication is beautiful, but inefficient. I want to build a machine that understands the emotion and intent behind the words, not just the dictionary definition. I want to build a program that can write a perfect poem—or a perfect legal contract—in any language. They told me machines can't do poetry."
Arjun smiled. The System registered Natural Language Processing (NLP).
[System]: "Scanning subject: Hassan Khan."
Name: Hassan Khan
Aptitude - Natural Language Processing/Linguistics: A
Aptitude - Empathy/Human Psychology: B+
Status: "Crucial link between humanities and machine intelligence. Needs coding platform."
"Hassan, we call that Natural Language Processing," Arjun affirmed. "You will be building the future of automated communication. Nalanda needs a poet to teach our computers to speak like humans. Welcome."
Next was Meenakshi Jha, the architectural student whose notebook was filled with radical, sustainable home designs.
"I failed my Civil Engineering submission because my professor said my designs were 'physically impossible' and 'too focused on local materials,'" Meenakshi said, her voice burning with conviction. "I want to design housing that uses 50% less steel and cement, is perfectly climate-controlled using only passive airflow, and is affordable for rural India. They said I was sacrificing structural safety for aesthetics."
[System]: "Scanning subject: Meenakshi Jha."
Name: Meenakshi Jha
Aptitude - Material Science & Structural Efficiency: A
Aptitude - Sustainable Design: S-
Status: "S-Rank in resource-constrained design. Perfect for computational resource optimization."
Meenakshi was not just building houses; she was an S-Rank expert in efficiency and optimization. Her mind would be essential for designing highly efficient algorithms and system architectures. "Meenakshi, your failure is our future. Your lab will be the Computer Science department. Your task is to apply your structural efficiency logic to data architecture—how to build the strongest system with the fewest resources. Your final project is a blueprint for the energy-efficient Nalanda campus of the future."
(Paragraph 4: The Creators (Vikram & Aditi) - 1000 words)
Arjun moved to Vikram Chaudhary, a burly young man with rough hands who looked miserable in his stiff, clean shirt.
"I failed every high school exam," Vikram admitted gruffly. "I dropped out to fix electronics—radios, old computers, even imported CD players. I can take anything apart and put it back together better than it was before. But I can't read a circuit diagram or an instruction manual. When I fixed an old printer by intuition, my boss fired me, saying I was 'too dangerous' because I didn't follow procedure."
[System]: "Scanning subject: Vikram Chaudhary."
Name: Vikram Chaudhary
Aptitude - Hardware/Reverse Engineering: S
Aptitude - Intuitive Mechanics: A+
Status: "True S-Rank Hardware Architect. The hands that will build Nalanda's future machines."
A pure S-Rank Hardware talent. Rajesh was the logic; Vikram was the muscle. "Vikram, you are our Hardware Lead. Your job is not to fix old equipment, but to design new equipment—using your intuition and Dr. Verma's knowledge. Your first project is helping Rajesh build a custom server rack for our new students. You are hired."
Finally, Aditi Rao, a girl who carried a massive sketchbook filled with geometric drawings of impossible perspective.
"I want to be an artist, but my parents want me to be a doctor," Aditi said, her voice quiet but firm. "I failed my art school application because my work was 'too mathematical.' I only use equations to draw perfect parabolas and calculate light refraction for my digital paintings. I want to build a tool that lets artists create images that defy physics, but still look real. I failed because I brought a ruler and a logarithm table to a painting class."
[System]: "Scanning subject: Aditi Rao."
Name: Aditi Rao
Aptitude - Visual Computing/3D Rendering: A
Aptitude - Aesthetic Design: A+
Status: "Crucial for future user experience and visual applications. Highly aesthetic."
"Aditi," Arjun confirmed, "you are our Visual Computing Specialist. The technology you want to build is called Computer Graphics and Digital Animation. In the future, this is a multi-billion dollar industry. Your mathematics is not a flaw; it is a superpower. Welcome to Nalanda."
(Paragraph 5: Quest Completed and Rewards - 500 words)
With Aditi's acceptance, the initial class of ten pioneers was complete. Dr. Verma was openly beaming, realizing he had just acquired a generational team. Shraddha looked exhausted but triumphant.
[System]: "[First Step] Quest Requirements Met: Students (10/10). Faculty (1/1)."
[System]: [First Step] Quest: COMPLETED!
A surge of System energy, stronger than the initial [University Aura] activation, flowed through Arjun. The sense of stability within the university grounds deepened, and the air seemed to shimmer with potential.
[System]: "Quest Rewards Issued:"
System Funds: ₹50,00,000 Granted. (Total Funds: ₹78,60,000)
Aptitude Voucher (C-to-B): 1x Granted. (For selective upgrade of a student or faculty member.)
Core Facility Upgrade: [Advanced Library Module] unlocked. (Access to indexed, future-dated academic papers and research abstracts.)
University Aura Upgrade: [Aura of Focus] implemented. (Passive ability: The Core Ten students and Founding Faculty now gain a +10% mental resistance to external stress and distraction, greatly accelerating learning and research.)
The immediate financial and informational boost was staggering. Arjun now had nearly ₹80 lakhs, enough to confidently start the next phase of the university's development, including hiring more faculty and expanding the infrastructure. The [Advanced Library Module] was the real golden finger here—instant, future knowledge for his faculty to build a curriculum that was globally competitive.
He turned to his assembled core ten pioneers. "Congratulations. You are the first class of the new Nalanda. You are not just students; you are co-founders," Arjun announced. "Your first lesson starts now: Dr. Verma will guide the Core Four in setting up the networking infrastructure for the remaining six machines we will purchase today. Lalita, Gaurav, Meenakshi, Hassan, Vikram, and Aditi, your task is to assist in the physical setup and begin preparing your respective theoretical models. The first sprint starts tomorrow."
Arjun looked at the chaotic courtyard and the silent, focused pioneers. The university had survived its first test. The next challenge was operational—moving from a theoretical model to a fully functioning, 100x-accelerated educational machine. The world was watching, and the system was ready to push him further.