Government Issues New Vande Mataram Guidelines: Audience Must Stand, Schools and Awards Ceremonies Included

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued new, comprehensive guidelines laying down the official protocol for India’s national song Vande Mataram, mandating how and when it should be sung at government events and clarifying audience behaviour, including standing during its rendition - especially in relation to the national anthem Jana Gana Mana. The guidelines aim to formalise the treatment of the national song in public life, strengthening its ceremonial role at official occasions.

According to the rules, the full official version of Vande Mataram - a six-stanza rendition lasting about 3 minutes and 10 seconds - is to be played or sung at key state functions. These include the unfurling of the national flag, arrival and departure ceremonies of the President and governors at formal functions, and before and after their official addresses. Importantly, the guidelines instruct that whenever Vande Mataram and the national anthem are both performed at an event, the national song must be played before the anthem, and members of the audience are expected to stand at attention during both performances to show respect.

The directive also emphasises that schools should promote the singing of Vande Mataram as part of daily assemblies and at other significant institutional occasions, encouraging respect for national symbols among students and citizens. To help signal the beginning of the national song, the guidelines suggest that when it is performed by a band, a drum roll or bugle call should precede it.

However, the Home Ministry has carved out exceptions for cinema halls and film screenings, where audiences are not required to stand when Vande Mataram is played as part of a movie’s soundtrack, noting that requiring patrons to stand in such entertainment settings could disrupt the viewing experience and create confusion.

The move addresses a long-standing absence of formal protocol for Vande Mataram. Unlike the national anthem - which has detailed rules governing its rendition and audience conduct under executive orders and statutory backing - the national song has historically lacked official instructions or enforceable provisions about when it should be sung or how people should behave during its performance. The Home Ministry is considering whether to align the national song’s protocols more closely with those of the national anthem, including standing and other forms of respect, though no final statutory changes have been enacted yet.

The announcement comes amid heightened public and political discourse around national symbols, particularly with the ongoing celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, which has sparked debates about its historical significance, its place in modern India’s identity, and whether its observance should be expanded in public and institutional life.

The centre’s new directive underscores a broader effort to formalise the ceremonial role of Vande Mataram alongside the national anthem, reaffirming its dignity at state occasions and its role in fostering patriotic sentiment among citizens.

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