3 weeks ago
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The West Bengal authorities has directed each State-run and aided schools to mandatorily see the singing of Vande Mataram during greeting assemblies with contiguous effect, according to an authoritative connection issued by the School Education Department.
The directive states that each pupil indispensable enactment successful singing the nationalist opus astatine the commencement of the schoolhouse day. Heads of institutions person been instructed to guarantee strict compliance.
"From adjacent Monday (May 18, 2026), Vande Mataram volition beryllium introduced arsenic the supplication opus successful each schools crossed the State. I volition spell to Nabanna contiguous and pass them," West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told reporters astatine the Assembly.
"The singing of Vande Mataram during greeting assembly prayers anterior to the commencement of classes should beryllium made mandatory truthful that Vande Mataram should beryllium sung by each students successful each schools successful the State with contiguous effect," the Director of Education specified successful a connection to State-run and State-aided schoolhouse heads connected May 13.
The determination comes soon aft the Union authorities initiated steps to fortify provisions related to respect for nationalist symbols, including a projected amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.
A schoolhouse Education Department authoritative indicated connected Thursday (May 14, 2026) that the opus is to beryllium performed astatine the opening of the assembly session. “School authorities person besides been asked to papers the proceedings, including video recordings, arsenic impervious of implementation,” helium said.
Earlier, schools successful the State traditionally sang lone the nationalist anthem, Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. In caller years, the erstwhile Trinamool Congress (TMC) authorities had introduced 'Banglar Mati Banglar Jol', besides penned by Rabindranath Tagore successful 1905 during protests against the partition of Wet Bengal, arsenic the State song.
The nationalist opus Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, present adds to the list, raising questions among sections of teachers astir the duration and sequencing of some the nationalist anthem and the nationalist opus wrong the constricted assembly time.
Headmaster of Hindu School Subhrojit Dutta told PTI, "Once our students be classes aft summertime vacation, they volition sing Vande Mataram on with the National anthem Jana Gana Mana during the assembly earlier classes. Our students had already been told astir the humanities value of Vande Mataram connected the juncture of its 150th year, and they had been asked to recite the lines and memorise it astatine location earlier this announcement was issued. So erstwhile they articulation school, they volition sing the nationalist opus on with the nationalist anthem," helium added.
A left-run teacher typical assemblage spokesperson said further clarity is awaited regarding whether each songs are to beryllium sung regular and however they are to beryllium accommodated wrong the existing schedule.
