Singing of national anthem made mandatory in Rajasthan hostels

The Rajasthan government has directed that students in 800 government-run hostels across the state will have to sing the national anthem every day. The government has issued directions to this effect stating that national anthem should be sung during the morning prayers at 7 am in each hostel.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, which has issued the notification in this regard, said that the move aimed to evoke the spirit of nationalism among the students. It also said the national anthem was already being sung in all residential schools and it will now be followed in hostels as well.

Officials claimed that the tradition was already a part of the regular



routine in hostels, but it was not followed due to laxity and shortage of staff in the hostels. "This rule had already been part of the morning assemblies but was not followed. It may be due to laxity of the officials or the shortage of the staff in the hostels. But, now it has been made mandatory to sing national anthem in all the government hostels," said, Dr Samit Sharma, Director, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Earlier, on November 8, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led government, as part of the first anniversary celebrations of the demonetization drive, had organized singing of national anthem by a record number of 50,000 people in a colourful event in Jaipur.