The Union Home Ministry has, in a notification, directed that all six stanzas of the national song “Vande Mataram”, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, shall be sung first when the national song and the national anthem “Jan Gana Man” are to be played together, agency reports said on Wednesday.Incidentally, no copy of the notification could be accessed on the ministry’s website, and even the official spokesperson could not provide one when asked about it.Only a few guidelines, containing the first six paragraphs of the national song, have been circulating on social media without any attribution to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and without an official order number, date or signature from an authorised government official.However, news agencies quoted an ‘order’ from the Home Ministry dated January 28, stating that it laid down protocols for singing the national song. It reportedly directed that six stanzas, with a duration of 3 minutes and 10 seconds, shall be sung at official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the Tricolour and Governors’ speeches.“When the national song and the national anthem are sung or played, the national song will be sung or played first,” agencies reported, quoting the ‘order’.The assembly present during the rendition of the national song shall stand in attention, the agencies added.“Whenever the official version of the national song is sung or played, the audience shall stand to attention. However, when in the course of a newsreel or documentary the national song is played as part of the film, it is not expected of the audience to stand, as standing is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the national song,” it said.The workday in schools shall begin with the playing of the national song, the order reportedly added.The Centre is currently observing the 150th year of “Vande Mataram”.