What is the duration of national anthem?

To be precise about the timing: The Ministry of Home Affairs has specified that the full version of Jana Gana Mana should take 52 seconds, while the short version (first and last lines) should take about 20 seconds. This isn't just arbitrary - the timing is crucial to maintaining the intended emotional impact and musical integrity. I learned this the hard way when our school choir had to re-record our performance because we were 3 seconds too fast! The rhythm is set to a specific tala (musical meter) that shouldn't be rushed. You can find the official guidelines on the Ministry of Home Affairs website.

The Indian national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," has an official duration of approximately 52 seconds when sung according to the prescribed rhythm. However, there's some flexibility - the official regulation states it should be between 48 to 52 seconds. This timing was standardized to maintain the dignity and proper rhythm of the anthem. When the orchestra version is played (without singing), it's typically around 52 seconds as well. It's interesting that the anthem actually has 5 stanzas in the original Bengali poem by Tagore, but only the first stanza is adopted as the national anthem.