CBSE directs schools to ensure no insult to national flag

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed the schools affiliated to it to ensure strict compliance of National Flag code and there is no insult to the national honour.

"The schools affiliated to CBSE are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance of provisions contained in the Flag Code of India, 2002 and The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971," the board said in a circular.

According to the Flag Code of India, the tricolour will only be made of hand woven wool, cotton, khadi or silk in the appropriate sizes and shall not be used for any commercial purpose.

"If the flag is to be hoisted at schools or any educational institution, the school shall assemble in open square formation with pupils forming three side and flag-staff at the centre of the fourth side. The Flag salutation has to be followed by singing of national anthem," the code says.

The Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act bars any person from burning, mutilating, defacing, destroying or trampling upon the National Flag at any public place or place within public view.

The schools have also been asked to use paper flags for any cultural or sports events rather than plastic flags and ensure they are not discarded on the ground after the event is over.

The Board, as on February 11, 2017, has 18,546 schools in India and 210 schools in 25 foreign countries, according to the information provided on the CBSE website.

There are 1,117 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2,685 government and aided schools, 14,141 independent schools, 589 Jawahar Novodaya Vidyalayas and 14 Central Tibetan Schools affiliated to CBSE.