The West Bengal Directorate of Madrasah Education has made the singing of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory during assembly prayers before classes in all government, aided, and recognised madrasahs across the state with immediate effect. The directive was confirmed by Khudiram Tudu, the minister in charge of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education in the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government headed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's ninth chief minister.

The Official Order

The West Bengal Directorate of Madrasah Education issued a formal order mandating the change. The order states: 'I am directed to order that, in supersession of all previous orders and practices, singing of 'Vande Mataram' during assembly prayers prior to the commencement of classes is hereby made mandatory in all Madrasahs (Govt. Model Madrasahs (English Medium) / Recognised Govt. Aided Madrasahs / Approved MSKs / Approved SSKs / Recognised Unaided Madrasahs) under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department across the state of West Bengal with immediate effect.'

The order adds that it was 'issued with the approval of the competent authority' and was signed by the Director of Madrasah Education, West Bengal.

What the Minister Said

'Like all other state-run schools in the state, singing 'Vande Mataram' will henceforth be mandatory in all recognised madrasahs as well,' Tudu said. He drew a direct parallel with schools where the medium of instruction is the Santali language, arguing that if the national song is compulsory there, it should apply equally to recognised madrasahs.

Schools Order Came First

The madrasah directive follows an earlier notification issued by the West Bengal School Education Department on the evening of 13 May, making 'Vande Mataram' compulsory in all state-run schools. Chief Minister Adhikari shared that notification on his official social media handle on 14 May.

The school notification, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to the state Education Department, stated that the government had 'mandated the singing of the national song of Bharat — 'Vande Mataram' — during school assembly prayers before the commencement of classes in all schools under the School Education Department across West Bengal with immediate effect.'

Broader Context

The back-to-back orders — first for schools, now for madrasahs — represent one of the early policy signals of the new BJP-led administration in West Bengal. The move is consistent with the party's broader national platform on cultural and civic uniformity in educational institutions. Critics and civil liberties advocates have historically contested compulsory singing of the national song in religious minority institutions, though no formal legal challenge has been reported in connection with this specific order as of 20 May.

How madrasah managements and community groups respond to the directive is likely to shape the political temperature in the state in the coming weeks.