- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Thu, 14 May 2026 11:54 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
New Mandate for National Song in West Bengal Schools: The West Bengal school education department has issued a formal directive requiring all state-run institutes to incorporate ‘Vande Mataram’ into their daily morning assembly prayers. The notice emphasizes that the singing of the National Song should be made mandatory with immediate effect to ensure participation from all students before classes commence. This move follows a January notification from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs intended to honor the 150th anniversary of the National Song.
However, the introduction of this requirement has created a logistical challenge for school administrators. Previously, the state government had mandated the singing of ‘Banglar mati Banglar jal’ (the state song) during assemblies.
With the National Anthem already a non-negotiable requirement, school heads are concerned that performing three separate songs every morning may delay the start of academic classes and prove difficult for maintaining student focus.
Administrative Confusion Over State Song:
While the new education department notice explicitly commands the introduction of ‘Vande Mataram’, it remains silent on the status of the previously mandated state song, ‘Banglar mati Banglar jal’. Many school heads, including Raja Dey of Mitra Institution, have sought official clarification to determine if the state song should be dropped or if students are now required to sing all three anthems daily.
An education department official confirmed that while ‘Vande Mataram’ is a new requirement, there has been no specific mention of removing the state song from the schedule.
Implementation Across Educational Institutes
Different schools are at varying stages of adopting the new protocol. Partha Pratim Baidya, headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith, noted that his institution had already begun singing ‘Vande Mataram’ before the National Anthem.
Conversely, other schools, such as Jodhpur Park Boys' School, plan to implement the changes once they reopen following the conclusion of the summer vacation period. Most administrators are hoping for a definitive resolution regarding the total number of mandatory songs before the new term begins.