All the students from schools and Pre-University Colleges (PUCs) in Karnataka will now sing the national anthem every morning during the mass prayer. Why? Because the state government has issued an order mandating this on August 17.

The order is applicable to all government, aided and private schools and PUCs. It was issued after complaints were received by the government that despite the fact that singing the national anthem was made compulsory earlier by the state government, some primary and secondary schools in Bengaluru were not practicing it.

The order also mentions that following the complaints, Deputy Directors of the Department of Public Instruction, Bengaluru North and South divisions have visited the concerned schools and confirmed that the students were indeed not singing the national anthem during the morning assembly there, as reported by PTI.

St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, Bishop Cotton Boys’ High School and Baldwin Girls’ High School are the three schools that allegedly didn't follow the government's order, as reported by The News Minute. 

The “state government has a duty to instill civic sense,l and to respect the Constitution, constitutional bodies, the national flag and the national anthem," a part of the order states. It was issued as per Section 133(2) of the Karnataka Education Act, which gives the government the power to issue directions.

The order additionally states that in the absence of mass prayers in the morning, the national anthem should be sung in the classrooms.