KOLKATA — Seeking to ensure that primary school students remain fully updated on the latest shifts in state power, the new government has announced that morning assemblies will now feature a third mandatory song, bringing the daily patriotic vocal requirement to a robust six minutes.

The directive to sing 'Vande Mataram' follows a November 2025 mandate by the previous administration, which required students to sing the state song 'Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol'. Educational authorities clarified that the new mandate does not officially cancel the National Anthem or the State Song, but simply layers another obligatory expression of loyalty onto the schedule, ensuring children are thoroughly reminded of the current regime's cultural agenda before proceeding to first-period literacy.

"A political transition naturally requires a corresponding change in what children are forced to chant at 8:00 a.m.," said a government spokesperson, noting that the directive conveniently coincides with the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram'. "We believe that extending assembly time to accommodate three consecutive anthems is a crucial administrative shift. Any loss of instructional time is a small price to pay for daily, mandatory reminders of who won the election."

At press time, the education department was reportedly drafting a 45-minute morning assembly schedule to prepare for the possibility of a future coalition government.