The West Bengal government has made the singing of “Vande Mataram” compulsory in all recognised madrasahs across the state during morning assemblies, extending a similar directive that was recently issued for schools. According to official orders issued under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department, the national song will now have to be sung before the start of daily classes in government-run, aided, and recognised madrasahs.

The latest move comes just days after the state government directed schools across West Bengal to make the recital of “Vande Mataram” mandatory during morning prayers and assemblies. Officials said the decision is aimed at promoting patriotism and strengthening awareness about India’s freedom movement among students. “Vande Mataram,” written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, played a major role during the country’s independence struggle and later received the status of India’s national song.

The order has already triggered political and social discussions across the state. Supporters of the decision have welcomed it as a step towards encouraging national unity and cultural awareness in educational institutions. They argue that students, irrespective of their educational background, should be familiar with symbols associated with India’s history and independence movement.

At the same time, some critics believe compulsory implementation in minority-run institutions could lead to debates over cultural freedom and administrative overreach. Similar controversies surrounding the mandatory singing of “Vande Mataram” have surfaced in different parts of the country in previous years as well.

Several private and state-run schools in West Bengal had already begun including the national song in their assemblies following last week’s government notification. The development is being viewed as part of a wider policy shift under the current West Bengal administration, which has introduced multiple education and governance-related changes in recent weeks. With the directive now extended to madrasahs, attention is expected to shift towards how institutions implement the order and how different communities respond in the coming days.

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