The Kerala General Education Department has issued formal instructions asking schools and other educational institutions to hoist the national flag and conduct the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, as part of Independence Day observances. The directive, signed by the Director of Public Education, does not include any instruction to sing Vande Mataram, the country's national song, a omission that has sharpened a political row ahead of 15 August.
What the circular says
According to the communication circulated to schools, the head of each institution is to ensure the flag is hoisted at 9 am or later and that the national anthem is conducted at the ceremony. The note states the instructions were issued based on a circular from the Protocol Officer.
| Action | Instruction |
|---|---|
| Flag hoisting | Hoist the national flag at 9 am or later |
| Anthem | Conduct the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana |
| Vande Mataram | No direction included |
State reaction and political fallout
The omission has been seized upon by opposition parties. The CPI(M) criticised the Congress-led government, alleging it was following a directive aligned with the RSS agenda. The BJP urged the state administration to comply with the law on the rendition of Vande Mataram, saying the government had a moral obligation to implement it.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan sought to clarify the status of the communication, saying the Chief Secretary had not issued an independent circular but had merely forwarded instructions received from the Centre. He emphasised the forwarding letter does not represent state policy and reiterated that the state government would set its own programme for Independence Day.
"The letter does not contain the policy or stand of the state government," he said, adding that the state government would decide the Independence Day programmes in Kerala and had a clear policy on the matter.
Mr Satheesan further noted the Congress and the United Democratic Front have a clear position on the singing of Vande Mataram and indicated an announcement would be made closer to 15 August. He said:
"There are just a few days for August 15. You will see then."
Administrative chain and Centre's role
The directive to schools was issued by the Director of Public Education and, according to the text, rests on a circular from the Protocol Officer. The earlier controversy began when the Chief Secretary forwarded the Centre's set of instructions on the national song to the Local Self Government Department; that circulation prompted debate over whether the state was being asked to enforce a central preference.
- Issued by: Director of Public Education, Kerala
- Based on: Circular from the Protocol Officer; forwarded instructions received from the Centre
- Primary requirement: Flag hoisting and rendition of Jana Gana Mana
Broader context and practical implications
The episode touches on longstanding sensitivities in Kerala about national symbols, secularism and minority rights. While the national anthem is routinely sung at official functions and in schools, the question of mandating Vande Mataram has been politically charged in recent years. For schools, the current directive provides a clear operational instruction for Independence Day ceremonies: ensure flag hoisting and the national anthem at or after 9 am. No directive on the national song requires schools to include or exclude it explicitly.
Administrators and school heads are likely to await further clarification from the state government before taking any additional steps. Education department officials who issued the circular noted they acted on a protocol office communication, signalling that any change in practice would come from higher-level policy direction within the state administration.
What to expect before August 15
With Independence Day a matter of public importance and civic participation, the state government’s final decision on the composition of programmes across Kerala will be watched closely by political parties, school authorities and civil society groups. The immediate practical outcome is that schools have a prescribed requirement for flag hoisting and the national anthem; whether Vande Mataram will be encouraged, permitted or mandated remains a subject for the state’s formal announcement in the coming days.
Delhi's communications and the administrative route by which they reached Kerala have become the focal point for the debate, highlighting how central guidelines and state-level implementation often collide in matters of symbolism and protocol.
