Title- Following your passion/ Life beyond Marks Mania /The Road Ahead/At Crossroads Recently I saw a group

of anxious youngsters near an internet caf with a paper and pen early morning at about 10.45 am. I knew from their faces that their long wait for results is going to come to an end in another 15 minutes. For some the D-day may mean excitement, reward for their year-long hard work and comparing their marks with fellow students and checking if they have fared better. But what about the plight of those who havent scored up their or their parents expectation or failed in a paper? Is it the end of the road for them? They say you learn from mistakes and become a better individual but unfortunately the present education system doesnt allow you to make mistakes. Every year you find some students who havent scored well commit suicide mostly because of their inability to tolerate comments passed by the very people close to them. This extreme step is taken as the humiliation is unbearable. But stop and think for a moment. Is it worth taking ones life just for few marks? There is a saying let success not go to your head or failure to your heart. Life is big. I wish somebody could take time and tell these youngsters that life has beautiful things in store for them. Do only marks determine ones success in life or is it much more than that. Does academic excellence always mean success in later part of life? We have examples of our very own Super star Rajinikant, Ulaganayagan Kamal Hasan , the Mozart of Madras A.R. Rahaman who gives wonderful melodies and master blaster Sachin Tendulkar who is not measured by his marks but by the centuries he has scored. They knew what they were passionate about and focused all their energies in realizing their dreams. If you have your hobby or passion as your profession, you will never complain of hard work. Work will be fun and you will never get tired or bored. The great Walt Disney who started as a newspaper boy said All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to purse them. You have the power to make your own destiny. Just a few numbers (marks) scored less should not stop you from realizing your dreams. This is just the beginning. Who knows there may be Kosaksi Pasapugazh (Nanban) hidden inside you.