Official 2026 Government Holiday Calendar for India (2026)
Planning your exams, travel, or bank visits? Stay updated with the most accurate and officially notified Government Holiday List 2026. We have compiled the complete gazette and public holidays for all 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
Why check our 2026 Holiday Guide?
- State-Specific Festivals: From Pongal in Tamil Nadu to Bihu in Assam.
- NI Act Bank Holidays: Essential for banking professionals and candidates.
- Official PDF Downloads: Direct links to state gazette notifications.
Contents
Master National & Gazetted Holiday List 2026
This table includes the 17 mandatory gazetted holidays observed by Central Government offices, banks, and most public sectors across India.
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type |
| January 26 | Monday | Republic Day | National Holiday |
| March 4 | Wednesday | Holi | Gazetted |
| March 21 | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan)* | Gazetted |
| March 26 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Gazetted |
| March 31 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti | Gazetted |
| April 3 | Friday | Good Friday | Gazetted |
| May 1 | Friday | Buddha Purnima | Gazetted |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)* | Gazetted |
| June 26 | Friday | Muharram* | Gazetted |
| August 15 | Saturday | Independence Day | National Holiday |
| August 26 | Wednesday | Milad-un-Nabi (Prophet’s Birthday)* | Gazetted |
| September 4 | Friday | Janmashtami | Gazetted |
| October 2 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National Holiday |
| October 20 | Tuesday | Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) | Gazetted |
| November 8 | Sunday | Diwali (Deepavali) | Gazetted |
| November 24 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak’s Birthday | Gazetted |
| December 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Gazetted |
*Subject to moon sighting.
State-Wise 2026 Government Holiday Calendars
Click on your respective state or union territory to view the complete official holiday list, including regional festivals, bank holidays, and restricted holidays.
📍 North India
📍 West & Central India
📍 South India
📍 East & North-East India
Note for Aspirants: Government holidays often impact exam dates and result announcements. Stay tuned to our Exam Calendar for more updates.
2026 Long Weekend Planner (The Leave Guide)
January: The Republic Day Weekend
- Dates: Jan 24 (Sat) – Jan 26 (Mon)
- Status: 3-Day Long Weekend.
- Tip: No leave required!
March: The Holi & Eid Stretch
- Dates: Feb 28 (Sat) – March 4 (Wed)
- Leave Needed: March 2 (Mon) & March 3 (Tue).
- Benefit: A massive 5-day break by taking just 2 days of leave.
April: The Early Summer Break
- Dates: April 2 (Thu) – April 5 (Sun)
- Occasions: Ram Navami (Thu) + Good Friday (Fri).
- Tip: Take a leave on April 2 (if your state doesn’t observe Ram Navami) for a 4-day weekend.
May: The Labour Day Escape
- Dates: May 1 (Fri) – May 3 (Sun)
- Occasion: May Day / Buddha Purnima.
- Status: 3-Day Long Weekend.
August: Independence & Janmashtami
- Dates: Aug 15 (Sat) – Aug 17 (Mon)
- Tip: If you take Aug 14 (Fri) off, you get a 3-day weekend. Sept 4 (Fri) also creates a natural 3-day weekend for Janmashtami.
October: Gandhi Jayanti & Dussehra
- Dates: Oct 2 (Fri) – Oct 4 (Sun)
- Status: Natural 3-Day Weekend.
- Dussehra Hack: Oct 17 (Sat) to Oct 20 (Tue). Take Oct 19 (Mon) off for a 4-day trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Gazetted Holidays are mandatory public holidays observed by all Central Government offices, banks, and educational institutions across India (e.g., Republic Day, Diwali). Restricted Holidays (Optional) are days that are not mandatory. Central Government employees can typically choose any two days from the restricted list as per their religious or personal preferences.
In India, many religious festival dates are determined by the Lunar Calendar (moon sighting) or the Tithi (Hindu calendar dates). Since these do not perfectly align with the Gregorian calendar, dates shift annually.
Not necessarily. Banks primarily follow the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act notifications issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). While major state festivals are usually bank holidays, some local government holidays may only apply to state offices and schools, not banks.
National holidays (Jan 26, Aug 15, Oct 2) are mandatory for all sectors. However, for other gazetted or regional holidays, private companies have the discretion to choose which days to observe based on their internal leave policy and state-specific labor laws.
