CM Suvendu makes Vande Mataram mandatory in all Madrasas across state

The West Bengal government has made the recital of Vande Mataram mandatory in all recognised madrasahs across the state during morning assemblies. The directive was issued by the Directorate of Madrasah Education and will apply to aided and unaided madrasahs functioning under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department.

The order comes a week after the state government made the singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in all schools across West Bengal. Under the earlier directive, students were instructed to sing all six stanzas of the national song before the commencement of classes during morning assembly sessions.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had stated that the previous directive was overridden and that all educational institutions under the School Education Department must implement the order with immediate effect. The government notification said the national song would be performed before classes begin each day.

Vande Mataram had returned to political discussion ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. In February, the central government accorded the song a status equal to the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, and made it compulsory for all six stanzas to be sung during government and school events alongside the national anthem.

The national song also became part of recent political controversies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala during oath-taking ceremonies. Political parties exchanged criticism over the sequence and full rendition of Vande Mataram during official functions, while debates continued over its inclusion in public events and educational institutions.