New Delhi: The Centre has issued detailed guidelines for the rendition of India’s National Song, Vande Mataram, at public gatherings, schools and official government functions. The guidelines, issued on February 11, 2026, come in the wake of amendments to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Under the new guidelines, Vande Mataram will be played or sung before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, whenever both are scheduled to be performed.
The National Song will also be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi on Independence Day, preceding the National Anthem. The occasion carries additional significance as it marks the 150th anniversary of the adoption of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s iconic composition as India’s National Song.
Full Version of Vande Mataram
The original version formally adopted as the National Song consisted of the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram. The Centre has now directed that the full six-stanza version be rendered at designated occasions.
The move has brought renewed attention to the historical and cultural significance of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s composition, which played an important role in India’s freedom movement and became a powerful symbol of national unity and patriotism.
New Legal Provisions
The guidelines follow the passage of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, which amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
Under the amended provisions, intentionally disrupting, obstructing or preventing the singing of Vande Mataram has been made a criminal offence.
The government’s latest directions seek to establish a uniform protocol for the rendition of the National Song across public and official occasions while reinforcing its status as an important national symbol.
With the full version of Vande Mataram set to receive greater prominence in official ceremonies, the government’s guidelines mark a significant development in how the National Song will be performed across the country.
