“Vande Mataram” was unofficially given the status of national song by President Rajendra Prasad in 1950. Unlike the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana,” it is not mentioned in the constitution and its legal status remains disputed although it is popularly regarded as the national song. In 2017 the Madras High Court ruled that the song should be played weekly in educational institutions and monthly in government offices across Tamil Nadu state. In 2022 a plea was filed in the Delhi High Court asking that “Vande Mataram” be granted equal status to “Jana Gana Mana.” In response, the union government held that while both songs should be shown equal respect by citizens, it could not be treated as a legal matter. In January 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs released a set of new protocols on the playing of “Vande Mataram”—the official version of the song will now include stanzas that had been omitted because of their religious connotations; it will be played before “Jana Gana Mana” at government events; and standing will be mandatory when the song is played at such events. Previously, no rules of decorum needed to be followed when it was played.
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