National Symbols of India — Anthem, Song, Emblem, Flag Code, and More

National symbols of India are among the most frequently asked topics in Kerala PSC exams. Every Graduate Level paper typically has 1-2 questions from this topic. Master every detail below.

1. Complete List of National Symbols

Symbol	Name	Adopted/Key Date	Key Detail
National Flag	Tiranga (Tricolour)	22 July 1947	Saffron, white, green with Ashoka Chakra
National Emblem	Lion Capital of Ashoka (Sarnath)	26 January 1950	Four Asiatic lions (only three visible from front); motto: “Satyameva Jayate”
National Anthem	”Jana Gana Mana”	24 January 1950	Written by Rabindranath Tagore
National Song	”Vande Mataram”	24 January 1950	Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (from novel Anandamath)
National Animal	Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)	1973	Replaced the Lion in 1973 (coincided with Project Tiger)
National Bird	Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus)	1963	—
National Flower	Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)	—	Symbol of purity
National Fruit	Mango (Mangifera indica)	—	“King of Fruits”
National Tree	Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)	—	Symbol of longevity
National River	Ganga (Ganges)	2008 (declared National River)	Namami Gange programme for conservation
National Aquatic Animal	Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)	2009	Also called “Susu”
National Heritage Animal	Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)	2010	—
National Reptile	King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)	—	World’s longest venomous snake
National Calendar	Saka Calendar	22 March 1957	Saka Era; Chaitra 1 = 22 March (usually)
National Currency	Indian Rupee (INR, symbol: Rs.)	Symbol adopted 2010	Designed by D. Udaya Kumar
National Game	No official national game	—	Hockey is popularly but INCORRECTLY called the national game; government confirmed in 2012 RTI that India has no official national game
National Pledge	—	Written by Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao	Recited in schools
National Motto	Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs)	—	From Mundaka Upanishad

PSC Favourite: “India’s national game?” — India has NO official national game. Hockey is a common misconception.

2. National Flag — Tiranga (Detailed)

Aspect	Detail
Designed by	Pingali Venkayya (1921 concept); modified by the Constituent Assembly committee
Adopted	22 July 1947 by the Constituent Assembly
Colours (top to bottom)	Saffron (courage and sacrifice), White (peace and truth), Green (faith and fertility)
Ashoka Chakra	Navy blue wheel with 24 spokes at the centre of the white band; represents the “wheel of law” (dharma)
Ratio (width:length)	2:3
Material	Originally only khadi (hand-spun cloth); since 2002, polyester and machine-made cloth also allowed (Flag Code 2002, amended in 2021)
Display rules	Flag Code of India, 2002 + Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971

Flag Dimensions (Standard Sizes)

Size	Dimensions (mm)
Size 1 (largest)	6300 x 4200
Size 2	3600 x 2400
Size 3	2700 x 1800
Size 4	1800 x 1200
Size 5	1350 x 900
Size 6	900 x 600
Size 7	450 x 300
Size 8	225 x 150
Size 9 (table flag)	150 x 100

Flag Code of India, 2002 — Key Rules

Rule	Detail
Display timing	Can be hoisted day and night (earlier only sunrise to sunset; changed in 2009)
Har Ghar Tiranga (2022)	Campaign to encourage citizens to hoist the flag at home
Private citizens	Can hoist the flag on all days (Flag Code 2002, amended)
Half-mast	On death of President, Vice President, PM, etc. (as per government orders)
Damage/soiled flag	Must be disposed of in private, preferably by burning or any other method consistent with dignity
No commercial use	Flag shall not be used as a trade mark, or for commercial advertising
Dipping	The national flag shall not be dipped in salute to any person or thing

3. National Emblem — Lion Capital of Ashoka

Aspect	Detail
Original	Carved atop the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath (Varanasi, UP); erected by Emperor Ashoka around 250 BCE
Adopted as national emblem	26 January 1950
Description	Four Asiatic lions (only 3 visible from front) standing back to back on a circular abacus
Abacus animals	Bull, Horse, Lion, Elephant — separated by dharma chakras (24-spoked wheels)
Below the abacus	Inverted lotus (bell-shaped)
Motto	”Satyameva Jayate” (Truth Alone Triumphs) — inscribed below in Devanagari script
Source of motto	Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6)
Legal protection	State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005

4. National Anthem — “Jana Gana Mana”

Aspect	Detail
Written by	Rabindranath Tagore (originally in Bengali)
First sung	27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress
Adopted	24 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly
Duration of full version	Approximately 52 seconds
Stanzas adopted	First stanza of the poem “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata”
Language of anthem	Highly Sanskritised Bengali (Sadhu Bhasha)
Short version	First and last lines — approximately 20 seconds (played on certain occasions)
Number of lines	5 lines
Mentions of places/rivers	Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravida, Utkala (Odisha), Banga (Bengal); Vindhya, Himachal; Yamuna, Ganga

PSC Favourite: “When was Jana Gana Mana first sung?” — 27 December 1911 (not 1950; 1950 is the date of adoption).

5. National Song — “Vande Mataram”

Aspect	Detail
Written by	Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Source	Novel Anandamath (1882)
Language	Sanskrit and Bengali
First sung at INC	1896 session (Calcutta) by Rabindranath Tagore
Status given	24 January 1950 — equal status with the national anthem
Adopted stanzas	First two stanzas only
Significance	Inspired the freedom movement; became a rallying cry during the Partition of Bengal (1905)

6. National Animal — Bengal Tiger

Aspect	Detail
Scientific name	Panthera tigris tigris
Declared national animal	1973 (replaced the Lion)
Project Tiger	Launched 1 April 1973 by PM Indira Gandhi; Jim Corbett National Park was the first project tiger reserve
NTCA	National Tiger Conservation Authority (established 2005 under Wildlife Protection Act)
Tiger Census (2022)	India has 3,682 tigers (All India Tiger Estimation) — about 75% of world’s tiger population
Largest tiger state	Madhya Pradesh (785 tigers in 2022)
International Tiger Day	29 July

7. Other National Symbols — Quick Reference

Symbol	Key PSC Fact
National Bird (Peacock)	Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 protects it; male has iridescent tail feathers
National Flower (Lotus)	Sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism; grows in muddy water symbolising purity
National Fruit (Mango)	India is the world’s largest mango producer; Alphonso (Hapus) is the most famous variety
National Tree (Banyan)	Great Banyan Tree in the Indian Botanical Garden, Howrah, is one of the world’s largest
National River (Ganga)	Declared national river in 2008; Namami Gange (2014) for its rejuvenation
National Aquatic Animal (Dolphin)	Gangetic dolphin; found in Ganges, Brahmaputra river systems; Schedule I species
National Calendar (Saka)	Used alongside Gregorian calendar for official purposes; Chaitra is the first month
National Currency Symbol	Rs. symbol designed by D. Udaya Kumar (IIT Bombay post-graduate); adopted 15 July 2010

8. Previous Year PSC-Style Questions

Question	Answer
Who wrote the national anthem?	Rabindranath Tagore
National anthem was first sung on?	27 December 1911
National anthem was adopted on?	24 January 1950
Duration of the national anthem?	52 seconds
”Vande Mataram” was written by?	Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
”Vande Mataram” is from which novel?	Anandamath
Ratio of the national flag?	2:3
Number of spokes in the Ashoka Chakra?	24
National emblem is adapted from?	Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath
”Satyameva Jayate” is taken from?	Mundaka Upanishad
National animal of India?	Bengal Tiger
Project Tiger was launched in?	1973
Who designed the Indian flag?	Pingali Venkayya
National aquatic animal?	Gangetic River Dolphin
India’s national game?	No official national game
Indian Rupee symbol was designed by?	D. Udaya Kumar
National bird was declared in?	1963