National anthem compulsory in all schools of Karnataka: 3 schools penalized for not following order

Three convent schools of Bengaluru have been penalized by the state government for not organizing the national anthem as part of the morning mass prayer/gathering. These schools are St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, Bishop Cotton Boys’ High School, and Baldwin Girls’ High School.

The Karnataka Government now mandates all public, private, and aided schools-and-colleges to sing the national anthem at the morning mass prayer. For those of you wondering why it’s happening all of a sudden, know that it’s not a new rule, law or legislation. It’s been in place since 1983.

What is the law about the singing of the national anthem in schools of Karnataka?

• Section 7(2)(G)(i) of the Karnataka Education Act of 1983 makes it mandatory for all schools to respect the flag and perform the national anthem during the morning mass prayer.

In case there is not enough room for everyone to stand together, sing it in the classroom; orders the Karnataka government.

The decision has been taken right after the visit of various private schools by the deputy directors of the Department of Public Instruction in Bengaluru-North and South. The visit found that several institutions are not sticking to the rules of singing the national anthem in the morning prayer.

Some Interesting Facts about the National Anthem:

• The national anthem has to be sung or played in 52 seconds!
• The audience must stand at attention whenever the Anthem is sung or played. The only exception to the rule is When the Anthem is performed as part of a newsreel or documentary.
• People with physical or mental disabilities don’t have to stand while the national anthem is playing.
• Law does not punish or compel anyone to stand or sing the national anthem. However, creating any disturbance while the anthem is playing may attract prison or penalty, or both.
• In 2018, the Supreme Court changed its November 30, 2016, interim decision, making it optional for movie theatres to play the national anthem before each show.
• Rabindranath Tagore wrote the poem Jana Gana Mana. On January 24, 1950, the Hindi version of Jana Gana Mana was adopted as India’s National Anthem.
• The poem was first sung publicly on December 27, 1911: in Congress’s annual session in Kolkata.
• Subhas Chandra Bose chose the song as the national anthem while gathering support for our Independence Movement in Germany.