Mandatory Singing of Vande Mataram in West Bengal Schools Starting May 18

New Directive for Schools in West Bengal

On Thursday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that singing 'Vande Mataram' will be compulsory in all government and government-aided schools in West Bengal starting May 18. During a press interaction, he mentioned that private schools have also been encouraged to adopt this practice, with an official notification to be released later today.

From Monday, the singing of 'Vande Mataram' will be mandatory in all government and government-aided institutions. The Chief Minister has urged private schools to incorporate this into their routines as well, with formal communication expected to follow.

Discussion on Speaker Nomination

In a separate development, Adhikari addressed the nomination of BJP MLA Rathindra Bose for the position of Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, urging for consensus in line with tradition. Highlighting Bose's credentials, the Chief Minister noted that he is a dedicated party worker and a chartered accountant by profession, bringing both administrative insight and organizational experience to the role.

Adhikari emphasized that Bose has never sought positions such as MLA, minister, or speaker, and that the party has recognized his loyalty. He expressed confidence in Bose's capability to handle this responsibility and called for cooperation from all parties for his leadership. He appealed to the opposition to uphold parliamentary traditions and ensure an uncontested election for the Speaker, stating, "Traditionally, the Speaker's election in West Bengal has been by consensus. I hope the opposition will continue this tradition."

Upcoming Speaker Election

The election for the Speaker is scheduled for Friday at 11 AM. According to party sources, Rathindra Bose, representing the Cooch Behar South constituency, recently won against his Trinamool Congress rival by a margin of over 23,000 votes in the recent elections. The results of the 2026 assembly elections have provided the BJP with a decisive mandate, securing 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, a significant increase from the 77 seats they won in the previous election. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had won 212 seats in the last assembly elections, came in second with 80 seats.