Rabindranath Tagore composed the song Jana Gana Mana that later became the national anthem of India. How many stanzas from this song have been officially adopted as the national anthem?

Introduction / Context:

This question relates to Indian national symbols and modern history. Jana Gana Mana is a Bengali song written by Rabindranath Tagore. A part of this song was adopted as the national anthem of India. Knowing exactly how much of the original song is used officially is a common test of civic awareness in exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The song Jana Gana Mana has multiple stanzas.
• The national anthem is based on a portion of this song.
• The question asks how many stanzas were adopted officially.
• We assume knowledge of the standard national anthem text as sung on official occasions.

Concept / Approach:

The concept is that only the first stanza of Jana Gana Mana was adopted as the national anthem. The original song has five stanzas in Bengali. Official practice and constitutional references have always treated only the first stanza, in a slightly Sanskritised form, as the national anthem. The approach is to match this fact with the options and avoid assuming that the entire song was adopted.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative Check:

To verify, reference can be made to official descriptions of the national anthem, which specify that the text consists of only the first stanza of the song composed by Rabindranath Tagore. The duration and wording also match only this first stanza. No official source indicates that any later portion of the song is part of the national anthem. Therefore, the conclusion that only the first stanza is used is firmly supported.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option B, the whole song, is incorrect because the entire five stanza composition is much longer than the short anthem performed at public events.

Option C, first and second stanzas, overstates the adopted portion and conflicts with official descriptions.

Option D, third and fourth stanzas, is incorrect since the anthem clearly begins with the words of the first stanza.

Option E, first three stanzas, again extends beyond what is officially recognised and would result in a much longer anthem, which is not the case.

Common Pitfalls:

Some learners assume that since the national anthem is derived from the song, the entire song must be considered the anthem. Others may have heard extended versions in cultural programmes and mistakenly think that more than one stanza is official. It is important to remember that the Constitution and official communications refer only to the first stanza as the national anthem, both in length and in content.

Final Answer:

Only the first stanza of Jana Gana Mana has been adopted as the national anthem of India.