The more far-sighted ones, gifted with razor-sharp intelligence, understood the potential of NGOs with eminent international sponsors which promised international travel, money, glamour, alcohol, bragging rights, entitlement and a sense of self-righteousness. The smartest ones were local Delhiwallahs,, who pursued commerce. A few also understood well that academics at DU did not involve much competition. All it required were mediocre credentials, joining the right faction and right camp of university professors and becoming their sycophant. It did not matter whether one had any sense of history or of literature, or not. There were also those at Delhi School of Economics, who knew that a recommendation from one of the professors could open the gateway to Yale or Princeton, from where they could land a job in the IMF or World Bank, which could subsequently give their parents back home bragging rights. To them, these were potential brownie points to be scored over their friends joining IAS.