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West Bengal Mandates Vande Mataram in Schools from May 18

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari announced Vande Mataram will be mandatory in all government and government-aided schools from May 18. Private schools have been requested to adopt the practice. Adhikari also nominated BJP MLA Rathindra Bose as Speaker, urging consensus from the Opposition. The Speaker election is set for Friday at 11 am.

Key Points: Vande Mataram Mandatory in Bengal Govt Schools

  • Vande Mataram mandatory in govt schools from May 18
  • Private schools appealed to adopt practice
  • Rathindra Bose nominated as Speaker
  • Speaker election scheduled for Friday at 11 am
2 min read

"Vande Mataram will be made mandatory in all govt schools from May 18; appeal made to private schools": Suvendu Adhikari

CM Suvendu Adhikari announces Vande Mataram mandatory in govt schools from May 18, appeals to private schools. Also seeks consensus for Speaker election.

"Vande Mataram will be mandatory in all government and government-aided schools from Monday. - Suvendu Adhikari"

Kolkata, May 14

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday announced that singing of Vande Mataram will be made mandatory in all government and government-aided schools in West Bengal from May 18.

Addressing the media, Adhikari said private schools have been requested to adopt the practice and added that a formal notice on the matter will be issued later in the day.

"Vande Mataram will be mandatory in all government and government-aided schools from Monday. In private schools, we have appealed for its inclusion. A formal notice in this regard will be issued today," Adhikari said.

In a separate development, Adhikari also spoke about the nomination of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rathindra Bose as the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, urging consensus in line with tradition.

Highlighting Bose's background, the Chief Minister said he is a "dedicated party worker" and a Chartered Accountant by profession, adding that he brings both administrative understanding and organisational experience to the role.

"He never applied for any post such as MLA, Minister or Speaker. The party has recognised his dedication. He is a Chartered Accountant and has the necessary capability to handle this responsibility. We seek cooperation from all sides for his leadership," Adhikari said.

He also appealed to the Opposition to uphold parliamentary tradition by ensuring an uncontested Speaker election. "The Speaker's election has traditionally been unanimous in West Bengal. I hope the Opposition will continue this tradition," he added.

The Speaker's election is scheduled to be held on Friday at 11 am, he informed.

According to the background shared by party sources, Rathindra Bose, who represents the Coochbehar Dakshin Assembly constituency, secured victory in the recent elections by defeating his Trinamool Congress rival by a margin of over 23,000 votes.

The 2026 Assembly election results marked a decisive mandate for the BJP, registering a significant surge, winning 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, a major shift in a state where it had earlier secured 77 seats in the previous election. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had won 212 seats in the last Assembly polls, finished a distant second with 80 seats.

Following the victory, Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the ninth chief minister of West Bengal.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sneha F
Finally some good news for Bengal! Vande Mataram is a song of national pride, not any religion. It's about time our state government values our culture. We need more such steps to unite everyone. Great move CM Ji! 🙏
V
Vikram M
This feels like unnecessary politicization. Schools already have national anthem—why add more rules? And how is this different from what TMC used to do? Let's focus on actual education and infrastructure, not symbolic gestures every time a new party comes in. 🤷‍♂️
R
Ravi K
As a teacher, I see both sides. Vande Mataram has deep cultural significance, but many parents from minority backgrounds have concerns. Instead of mandate, why not have a dialogue? Our schools need unity, not division. And please, no more political drama over songs—educate our children properly first.
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Priyanka N
I remember singing Vande Mataram in school as a kid—it always gave me goosebumps. This should be about patriotism, not politics. If done with the right spirit, it could foster national pride. But making it mandatory for private schools might face resistance. Hope CM leads by example and builds consensus. 🇮🇳
S
Siddhartha F
Classic BJP tactic—focus on symbols when there's no real work done. Schools need better infrastructure, teachers, and curriculum—not forced singing sessions. And why not make it voluntary? This is just a way to polarize and score political points. Disappointing, but not surprising.

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