New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued new rules prescribing precise wording, pronunciation and protocol for singing and playing India’s national song "Vande Mataram" and national anthem "Jana Gana Mana" at official events, the ministry said on its website.
The guidelines set out when and where the two national pieces should be used — including during state visits by the president, events involving governors, and official parades — and require strict adherence to the approved script and style. The ministry said authoritative wordings and pronunciation guides are available on its official portal.
Under the new order, when sung at official functions, all six stanzas of "Vande Mataram" must be performed, with the rendition lasting exactly three minutes and ten seconds. In occasions where both the national song and anthem are used, "Vande Mataram" should be sung first, followed by "Jana Gana Mana." The directive also states that state songs, if included, may be performed only after the national song and anthem. Except for instrumental or lyrical modifications explicitly permitted by the government for the national anthem, no other changes to the anthem’s words or music are allowed.
Political observers have questioned the move, saying the insistence that state songs follow the national pieces appears aimed at strengthening centralised national identity and could weaken federal principles. Critics argue that elevating "Vande Mataram" to greater official prominence is part of the BJP government’s broader political agenda, and that efforts to promote the song risk associating it with a Hindutva-inflected nationalism. They contend that while "Jana Gana Mana" symbolizes secularism and pluralism, giving added official weight to "Vande Mataram" seeks to impose a particular identity on the nation.