A fresh set of guidelines has been issued by the Union Home Ministry to State and Government bodies, stating that all six stanzas of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, which recently completed 150 years– shall be sung at all official functions and other occasions. The order dated 06.02.2026 lays down the ‘official version’ of the song, including the last four stanzas as well, that were dropped by the Jawaharlal Nehru’s govt, allegedly to maintain the song’s ‘secular’ appeal. The duration for the song that shall be played or sung should be 3 minutes and 10 seconds. The guidelines mentioned that the National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’ shall be played before National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, when both the songs are played at an event. The guidelines were uploaded on the Union Home Ministry website on February 06, but no formal announcement has been issued.
The order by MHA also mentions that the song written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, is to be sung on the arrival and departure of the President at formal state functions and other functions organised by the government, immediately before and after the President addresses the nation over All India Radio and television, at formal state functions, on arrival and departure of the Governor or Lieutenant Governor, when the National Flag is brought on parade, any other occassion for which special orders are issued by the Government of India. The morning school assemblies of all schools must incorporate group singing of the national song, as per MHA guidelines.
