West Bengal mandates Vande Mataram in schools, notification issued
Synopsis
West Bengal's new BJP government wasted no time — within its opening days, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's administration has mandated Vande Mataram in every state-run school assembly, effective immediately. The rare cross-party welcome masks a pointed caveat: all Opposition blocs want assurance that Jana Gana Mana will not be sidelined.
Key Takeaways
The West Bengal government issued a notification on 14 May making Vande Mataram compulsory in all state-run school assemblies, effective immediately.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari , the state's ninth CM, shared the order from his official social media handle.
The notification supersedes all previous orders and practices on the subject.
All major parties — TMC , Congress , and CPI(M) — broadly welcomed the move but demanded Jana Gana Mana not be compromised.
Vande Mataram was penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay ; Jana Gana Mana was composed by Rabindranath Tagore — both iconic Bengali writers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led West Bengal government on Thursday, 14 May issued an official notification making the singing of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory during morning assembly prayers in all state-run schools — effective immediately. The order, issued by the School Education Department, marks one of the first major policy moves by the new administration.
What the Notification Says
The notification, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to the state Education Department, states: 'It is hereby ordered that, in supersession of all previous orders and practices, the Government of West Bengal has mandated the singing of the National Song of Bharat, Vande Mataram, during school assembly prayers before commencement of classes in all schools under the School Education Department across West Bengal, effective immediately.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari — the state's ninth chief minister — shared the notification on his official social media handle on Thursday evening, signalling the government's intent to publicise the directive widely.
Why the Government Acted
The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argued that singing Vande Mataram — penned by iconic Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay — in schools would instil a sense of national pride and patriotism among students. The announcement had been made earlier in the day before the formal notification was released.
Political Reaction: Broad Welcome, With Caveats
Notably, all major political parties in West Bengal — both ruling and Opposition — have broadly welcomed the move, a rare show of cross-party consensus. However, the welcome comes with conditions.
The principal Opposition party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), said it had no objection to the song being sung in schools — noting that Vande Mataram was authored by a Bengali — provided the decision does not overshadow the state's commitment to secularism, brotherhood, and communal amity.
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee echoed a similar position, stating there is nothing objectionable about the mandate as long as it does not override the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership expressed an identical concern.
The Jana Gana Mana Question
A recurring thread across Opposition responses is the demand that 'Jana Gana Mana' must not be compromised or displaced by the new directive. While the notification does not explicitly address the national anthem, Opposition parties have called on the state government to clarify that both songs will coexist in school routines without one superseding the other.
This comes amid a broader national conversation about the place of patriotic symbols in public education — a debate that has periodically resurfaced across multiple states. West Bengal, with its deep literary and cultural heritage tied to both Tagore and Chattopadhyay, represents a particularly charged setting for such a policy.
What Happens Next
The notification takes effect immediately across all schools under the School Education Department in West Bengal. Implementation details — including how compliance will be monitored — have not yet been specified. The government is expected to issue further operational guidelines to school administrations in the coming days.
Point of View
Which suggests the government has not yet addressed the sequencing question in the notification itself. West Bengal is uniquely positioned in this debate — it is the birthplace of both songs' authors, which makes the symbolism potent but also the political stakes higher. If the government fails to clarify the coexistence of both songs swiftly, the consensus could fracture along predictable communal lines.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has the West Bengal government ordered regarding Vande Mataram?
The West Bengal government has mandated the singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers in all schools under the School Education Department, effective immediately. The notification supersedes all previous orders on the subject.
Who issued the Vande Mataram notification in West Bengal?
The notification was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to the West Bengal School Education Department. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari shared it publicly on his official social media handle on Thursday, 14 May.
How have Opposition parties in West Bengal responded?
All major Opposition parties — TMC, Congress, and CPI(M) — have broadly welcomed the directive but with a common condition: that the national anthem Jana Gana Mana must not be compromised or displaced by the new order.
What is the significance of Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana in West Bengal?
Both songs have deep roots in Bengal — Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Jana Gana Mana by Rabindranath Tagore, making West Bengal the birthplace of both authors. This gives the policy debate a particularly charged cultural dimension in the state.
When does the Vande Mataram order take effect in West Bengal schools?
The order takes effect immediately, as stated in the notification. Operational guidelines for schools on monitoring compliance have not yet been issued and are expected to follow.
