Senior officials of the education department asked district inspectors of schools on Tuesday whether the necessary communication had been passed to schools and madrasas on the mandatory introduction of Vande Mataram at morning
assemblies.

The decision to make singing the national song compulsory in all government and aided schools and madrasas was announced during the summer vacation, which started on May 11.

The schools will reopen on June 1.

“We checked with the DIs whether they had passed on the necessary instructions to the schools regarding the introduction of the national song in the morning prayers because schools need to prepare for the change,” an official said.

“The DIs have also been told to collect videos from the schools to testify that the instructions on the performance had been complied with,” the official said.

Asked whether anyone expressed any apprehension about singing Vande Mataram in madrasas, the official said “no”.

“It is a blanket order applicable to all government and government-aided schools and madrasas,” the official said.

On May 14, the education department issued the order and said it was “in suppression of” all previous orders and practices.

Earlier, the schools and madrasas sang the national anthem, Jana gana mana, and Banglar mati, Banglar jol, both composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

On May 20, the state’s minority affairs and madrasa education department made singing the national song compulsory in all madrasas under the department.

An education official said singing the six stanzas of Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chottopadhyay, will take three minutes and 10 seconds.

“The morning assembly lasts 10 minutes, starting from 10.40am,” the official said.

Tuesday’s online administrative meeting was held with DIs of 10 districts in north Bengal.

The remaining districts, which include Calcutta, will take part in Wednesday’s meeting.

Cost-cutting steps

The meeting on Tuesday also discussed possible austerity measures for schools.

“The DIs have been told to convey to school heads that they must hold meetings online so the expenses can be reduced. They have also been advised to switch to e-filing,” an official said.

The DIs have also been told to draw a list of schools with “zero enrolment”.

“The teachers from those schools will be transferred to schools that have adequate students as part of the rationalisation process,” sources in the department said.

The school inspectors have been told to ensure that schools are cleaned before they reopen after the break.