Govt orders full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ at official functions, schools

According to the order, all stanzas — including the last four that were dropped during the Nehru government — will be sung on occasions such as the arrival of the President, the unfurling of the Tricolour and speeches by Governors.

The government has also directed that Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, should be sung first when the national song and the national anthem are played together.

People present at assemblies where the national song is performed must stand in an attention posture.

However, the instruction will not be mandatory in cinema halls when Vande Mataram is played as part of a film or newsreel.

The new order, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the song’s creation, mandates that the school day begin with the community singing of Vande Mataram.

It further states that on occasions where the national song is performed, the official version must be rendered first, followed by mass singing.