The Uttar Pradesh government has made it mandatory for all madrasas to sing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. An order was issued to all District Minority Welfare Officers on Monday, May 9, by the Registrar of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, SN Pandey regarding the same.

A board meeting was held to discuss the same on March 24 and based on the decision taken in the meeting, it has been made mandatory to sing the national anthem at the time of prayer at all madrasas, the Registrar said, as stated in a report by PTI.

Pandey added that the regular classes will begin from May 12, post Ramzan, and the order will come into effect from then. The order mentioned that before the commencement of classes, the national anthem will be sung by teachers and students from the upcoming academic session in all recognised, aided and unaided madrasas in the state. The District Minority Welfare Officers have been asked to ensure that the order is adhered to.

General Secretary of Teachers' Association Madaris Arabia, Diwan Sahab Zaman Khan, said that till date, madrasas have usually recited Hamd (praises to Allah) and Salam (salutations to Muhammad) before classes commence. Sometimes, the national anthem is also sung but it isn't compulsory. "Now it has been made mandatory," he added.

Minister of State Danish Azad Ansari had stated that the government wants the madrasa students to be "full of patriotism". As of now, there are a total of 16,461 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh and 560 of them receive government grants.