NEW DELHI. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued comprehensive new directions to all State Governments, Union Territory administrations, and central ministries, reiterating the mandatory rules for performing the National Anthem and the National Song. The fresh guidelines place a strong emphasis on maintaining absolute accuracy in script, wording, and pronunciation, with official versions and pronunciation guides made available on the ministry website. In a significant clarification of protocol, the directive mandates that if both songs are performed at an event, Vande Mataram must precede Jana Gana Mana. Furthermore, in regions that possess their own official state songs, the performance order must strictly flow from the State song first, followed by the National Song, and concluding with the National Anthem, thereby harmoniously respecting both regional and national identities.
Under the updated protocol, the complete six-stanza version of Vande Mataram, which has a running duration of approximately three minutes and ten seconds, must be utilized at important official events. This includes civil investitures, the arrival and departure of the President and Governors at formal functions, national parades involving the National Flag, and during official presidential broadcasts. The ministry underscored that all citizens are required to stand at attention, maintain silence, and remain still during the rendition of both the National Song and the National Anthem to demonstrate utmost respect. These directives reinforce an earlier order from January 28, 2026, which established this complete version of Vande Mataram as the standard for state ceremonies, while the established regulations for the full and short versions of Jana Gana Mana remain firmly in place.
This administrative push is part of a larger, nation-wide effort by the Government to ensure that India’s sacred national symbols are uniformly respected and consistently honoured across all levels of administration, from village halls to state banquets. While deliberate disrespect to the National Anthem is legally punishable under The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, the guidelines for Vande Mataram aim to foster voluntary, deeply rooted civic respect. By urging states and central ministries to distribute these rules to bands, choirs, educational institutions, and event organisers, the MHA aims to protect the historical, cultural, and emotional sanctity of these songs, ensuring their dignity remains fully preserved in the modern digital age.
