UPSC Prelims 2003 Q47: Art & Culture – Cultural Institutions & Awards
- (a) The National Song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji originally in Bengali
- (b) The National Calendar of India based on Saka era has its 1st Chaitra on 22nd March normally and 21st March in a leap year
- (c) The design of the National Flag of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22nd July 1947
- (d) The song ‘Jana - gana - mana’, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950 as the National Anthem of India
Answer: (a) The National Song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji originally in Bengali
Explanation
> Note for students: The exam printed 'NOT correct'. The published key is (a), though Vande Mataram's Bengali origin is arguable; if you are not sure, skip it to avoid the negative mark.
National song, calendar, flag and anthem (NOT correct)
| Statement | Verdict |
|---|---|
| a. Vande Mataram composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterji originally in Bengali | Not accepted as correct — the song is in highly Sanskritised Bengali, and the novel version has Sanskrit and Bengali text |
| b. National Calendar: 1 Chaitra on 22 March, 21 March in a leap year | Correct |
| c. Flag design adopted on 22 July 1947 | Correct |
| d. Jana Gana Mana adopted on 24 January 1950 | Correct |
The question asks which statement is NOT correct; the published key is (a), since Vande Mataram is generally described as composed in Sanskrit-like language. (The stored stem had dropped NOT; it is restored to the printed form.)
Answer: (a) The National Song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji originally in Bengali.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The song is in Sanskritised Bengali, so this is the statement not accepted.
- (b) Incorrect. The National Calendar starts 1 Chaitra on 22 March, or 21 March in a leap year.
- (c) Incorrect. The Constituent Assembly adopted the flag on 22 July 1947.
- (d) Incorrect. The anthem was adopted on 24 January 1950.
Key point
Vande Mataram: Anandamath (1882); Jana Gana Mana: Tagore, 1911, adopted 24 January 1950.
Remember
The flag was adopted on 22 July 1947 and the anthem on 24 January 1950.
Common mistakes
- Reading the stem as asking for a correct statement.
- Mixing the adoption of the flag with the anthem.
- Forgetting that the calendar is based on the Saka era.
Exam tip
Flag: 22 July 1947; Anthem and Song: 24 January 1950.
Sources
- Ministry of Home Affairs — national symbols
- Constituent Assembly of India — Statement on the National Anthem and National Song (24 January 1950)