A key part of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is knowing the facts and history of the Indian National Flag.
The Indian National Flag
Description
The National Flag of our country was accepted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on July 22 1947, where it turned out to be the official flag of India. The flag code of our country India has come into effect from 2002. It is not a statutory rule or regulation. It is the National Symbols of our country.
The freedom of struggle movement is an area that overlaps with the streams like History and Polity. Both of the subjects play a prominent role in UPSC IAS Prelims and Mains exam. UPSC CSE has often asked several questions regarding the National Flag, National Anthem, etc.
Each year on January 26, we celebrate the Republic Day of our country. The Republic Day is celebrated concerning this day on which the Constitution of India came into existence. In 1930 the Declaration of Indian Independence was acknowledged as the Indian National Congress declared Purna-Swaraj.
The Evolution
- The first Indian National Flag was hoisted in 1906, in Calcutta.
- Madame Bhikaji Cama raised the 2nd Indian flag in 1907.
- In 1917, the 3rd flag was introduced by the Lokmanya Tilak.
- In 1921, The All India Congress Committee Pingali Venkayya designed a flag made up of two colours, red and green signifying the two central communities -Hindus and Muslims. Gandhiji then recommended the addition of a white stripe which symbolize the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to signify the development process of our country.
- In 1931 a resolution for the national flag was approved accepting a tricolour flag. The flag had three stripes- A saffron stripe, white stripe and the green stripe with spinning wheel in the middle.
- In 1947, the Constituent Assembly embraced the Indian flag with three trips and Asoka chakra in the middle. Consequently, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party ultimately became the tricolour flag of Independent India.
9 Interesting Facts about the Indian National Flag
Here are nine interesting facts about the Indian Flag which will help candidates in their UPSC Civil Services Exam preparation:
- Pingali Venkayya designed the National Flag of India. He was an Indian freedom fighter who passed away in 1963. In 2009, he was posthumously honored with a 2009 postage stamp for this contributions towards the Indian freedom struggle.
- As per the law, the Indian National Flag is to be made by ‘Khadi‘ which is hand-spun material of wool/cotton/silk Khadi’s cloth. The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha is the only unit in India that is accredited to supply and manufacture the material for Indian flag. The right to create and produce the Indian National Flag goes to The Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission.
- The Indian flag is known as Tiranga in Hindi (Our mother tongue), and it consists of three colours and Asoka Chakra in its middle. The three colours represent:
– Saffron: courage and sacrifice
– White: truth, peace, and purity
– Green: prosperity - The Asoka-Chakra represents the Laws of Dharma. It was selected as a depiction of Dharma in our flag. The size of Asoka Chakra was not initially defined in the Flag code. The Chakra should have 24 spokes that are uniformly spaced as per the experts. The Asoka Chakra is in Navy-blue on the white stripe of the flag.
- The width and length ratio of the Indian flag is 2:3. The three stripes of the flag should be equivalent in width and length.
- Our flag was accepted on July 22, 1947, just before India gained independence from the British government.
- On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered the Mount Everest. They raised the Indian flag on Mount Everest, along with the National Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Nepalese National Flag.
- The enormous flag was hosted in Indo-Pak Attari Border. The Nation’s most extensive flag measures:
– 110 meters in length
– 24 meters in width
– 55 tons in weight - During the Indo-Soviet joint space flight in 1984, the National Flag of India flew into space as an emblem on the spacesuit worn by Cosmonaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma.
Do’s and Dont’s for the Indian Flag
Here are the rules and regulations on how to fly the National Flag of India, based on the January 26, 2002 legislations:
The Do’s
- The Indian National Flag may be hoisted in educational institutions (schools, colleges, sports camps, scout camps, etc.) to inspire respect for the Flag.
- The oath of allegiance to the Indian National Flag is included in flag hoisting ceremonies in schools.
- A member of the public, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist/display the National Flag on all days and occasions, ceremonial or otherwise. Making sure it is consistent with the dignity and honor of the National Flag.
- Section 2 of the new code accepts the right of all private citizens to fly the flag on their premises.
- As high as possible, the National Flag should be flown from sunrise to sunset, irrespective of the weather.
The Dont’s
- The National flag cannot be used for communal gains, drapery, or clothes.
- The flag cannot be intentionally allowed to touch the ground or the floor or trail in water.
- It cannot be draped over the hood, top, and sides or back of vehicles, trains, boats or aircraft.
- No other flag or bunting can be placed higher than the flag.
- No object, including flowers or garlands or emblems can be placed on or above the flag.
- The tricolour cannot be used as a festoon, rosette or bunting.
Summary
The Indian National Flag is a symbol of our national pride. It represents the aspirations and hopes of every Indian National. It’s colors – Saffron, White and Green, indicates the strength, courage, peace, truth, fertility and growth of the country.
The Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Exam (UPSC CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination conducted by the UPSC. The complete process of Indian Civil Services Examination starts from the official notification of the preliminary exam until the declaration of the final results, which takes place within a year. Candidates those who get selected are recruited and trained for various services by the Central Government and then different State Cadres are allotted as per preference and ranking.
Just like any country, there are some rules and regulations all should adhere to on how to fly the National Flag of India.
Areas covered in this article
- Information about our national flag
- 9 Interesting facts about the Indian National flag