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Many of Bihar's 90 million inhabitants come from low-caste backgrounds and are unable to even sign their own name.
Consequently if you are born in the northeastern Indian state - the country's poorest - you are unlikely to ever be studying in the Indian Institutes of Technology, among the most sought-after universities in the world.
However Anand Kumar, a brilliant mathematician, and Abhayanand, the local deputy police chief, decided to increase that likelihood for the young hopefuls of Bihar.
They founded the Ramanujan Academy upon the premise that poverty, caste and religion should be no barrier to opportunity.
Each year they select 30 young students from over 3,000 applicants and with intense tutoring train them to pass the entry exams for the institutes - for free.
They select the Super 30 not just for their exceptional academic abilities, but also because these children have the vision and self-belief to sustain them through seven months of intensive coaching that culminate in uniquely difficult exams.
Unique access
If they succeed, which many of them do, they will be more or less guaranteed a place in India’s emerging technological elite.
Due to the fact he is offering free, tuition Anand has been receiving death threats from rival commercial colleges. He now has to have an armed escort everywhere he goes.
Director Chris Mitchell filmed life in the academy over a period of 18 months and managed to get unique access to the life of these extraordinary people. The result is a three part series, Super 30.
In the first of three films we follow the hopefuls as they take the first step on the ladder. Their journey reflects the changes in Indian society in the opening decade of the 21st century.
"It really is a story of how people from the lowest caste in India can actually become millionaires and work in the global economy. I hope that people will see how a real effort, commitment, and hard work in extremely difficult circumstances, brings out amazing results," Chris says.
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Part 1 of Super 30 - First Step on the Ladder - can be seen from Sunday July 13 at the following times GMT: Sunday 1000 and 19000; Monday 0600 and 1400; Tuesday 0300.
Part 2 can be seen on Tuesday at 1000 and 1900; Wednesday at 0600 and 1400; Thursday at 0300.
Part 3 can be seen on Thursday at 1000 and 1900; Friday at 0600 and 1400 and Satruday at 0300.
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