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Holiday List 2026: Full Month-Wise Holidays for Schools, Colleges, Banks and Offices

Families, students and office-goers planning 2026 in advance get a clear view of the year’s breaks. The Holiday Calendar 2026 includes national days, major religious festivals and popular bank holidays spread across all months. However, actual closures still depend on state notifications, Reserve Bank of India rules and institutional policies.

Parents and working professionals are advised to treat this holiday list 2026 as an early planning tool only. Final schedules for schools, colleges, banks and private offices may differ by state, city and employer. Checking official circulars closer to each date remains essential for exams, travel and project timelines.

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The Holiday Calendar 2026 provides a preview of national, religious, and bank holidays in India, categorized into Gazetted and Restricted holidays for Central government employees, with dates for Republic Day, Independence Day, Diwali, and Christmas Day. Actual holidays may vary based on state notifications, Reserve Bank of India rules and institutional policies, and some dates like Bakrid and Muharram are subject to lunar sightings.

Holiday Calendar 2026: national holiday list 2026 and key categories

The Central government holiday list 2026 divides off days into two main groups. Gazetted Holidays must be observed by all Central government offices across India. Restricted Holidays are optional and can be selected by employees within departmental leave limits, often based on religion, region or personal preference.

National holidays like Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti appear under Gazetted Holidays in the Holiday Calendar 2026. Many major religious festivals also fall in this compulsory group. By contrast, popular regional events such as Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Onam are placed under restricted options for Central staff.

Holiday Calendar 2026: Central government Gazetted holiday list 2026

The following Gazetted Holidays in the holiday list 2026 apply to all Central government offices. Dates remain the same across India, though additional local holidays may join these in some states.

Occasion Date Day
New Year's Day January 1 Thursday
Republic Day January 26 Monday
Maha Shivratri February 18 Wednesday
Holi March 5 Thursday
Ram Navami April 2 Thursday
Mahavir Jayanti April 6 Monday
Good Friday April 10 Friday
Dr B R Ambedkar Jayanti April 14 Tuesday
Buddha Purnima May 25 Monday
Bakrid / Eid al-Adha* June 17 Wednesday
Independence Day August 15 Saturday
Janmashtami August 28 Friday
Gandhi Jayanti October 2 Friday
Dussehra (Vijayadashami) October 19 Monday
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) November 7 Saturday
Guru Nanak Jayanti November 24 Tuesday
Christmas Day December 25 Friday

*Dates marked with an asterisk in the Holiday Calendar 2026 may shift based on the lunar sighting. Bakrid / Eid al-Adha, as well as some other Islamic observances, can move by a day either side depending on the official moon announcement.

Holiday Calendar 2026: Central government Restricted holiday list 2026

Restricted Holidays in the holiday list 2026 give Central employees flexibility to match personal beliefs and regional customs. Staff may choose from this pool according to departmental rules, while offices remain open with limited attendance.

Occasion Date Day
Makar Sankranti / Pongal January 14 Wednesday
Basant Panchami February 14 Saturday
Labour Day May 1 Friday
Muharram* July 17 Friday
Raksha Bandhan August 19 Wednesday
Ganesh Chaturthi September 14 Monday
Onam September 23 Wednesday

*The date of Muharram in the Holiday Calendar 2026 is also subject to moon sighting. State governments may issue updated notifications if the lunar calendar leads to minor changes around mid-July.

Holiday Calendar 2026: month-wise India holiday list 2026

The broader Holiday Calendar 2026 covers school, bank and office holidays that many institutions use. The following month-wise holiday list 2026 highlights widely observed dates, though local additions or changes are common across India’s states and union territories.

Month Date Day Occasion
January 1 Thursday New Year's Day
January 14 Wednesday Makar Sankranti / Pongal
January 23 Friday Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti
January 26 Monday Republic Day
February 14 Saturday Vasant Panchami
February 18 Wednesday Maha Shivratri
March 4 Wednesday Holika Dahan
March 5 Thursday Holi
March 20 Friday March Equinox (observed by some institutions)
April 2 Thursday Ram Navami
April 6 Monday Mahavir Jayanti
April 10 Friday Good Friday
April 14 Tuesday Dr B R Ambedkar Jayanti
April 18 Saturday Easter (restricted/optional in many offices)
May 1 Friday Labour Day / Maharashtra Day
May 25 Monday Buddha Purnima
June 17 Wednesday Bakrid / Eid al-Adha*
July 17 Friday Muharram*
August 15 Saturday Independence Day
August 19 Wednesday Raksha Bandhan
August 28 Friday Janmashtami
September 5 Saturday Teachers' Day
September 23 Wednesday Onam
October 2 Friday Gandhi Jayanti
October 19 Monday Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
October 24 Saturday Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
November 1 Sunday Karnataka Rajyotsava
November 7 Saturday Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
November 8 Sunday Govardhan Puja
November 9 Monday Bhai Dooj
November 24 Tuesday Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 25 Friday Christmas Day
December 31 Thursday New Year's Eve (bank holiday in some states)

Holiday Calendar 2026: holiday list 2026 for banks, schools and offices

Banks follow the Reserve Bank of India framework plus state-level notifications, so the Holiday Calendar 2026 may differ by region. A date listed as a holiday in one state can be a normal working day for branches in another state.

Schools and colleges often align their own holiday list 2026 with major festivals noted in the Holiday Calendar 2026. Many institutions also blend these festivals with summer, winter or mid-term vacations, creating longer breaks that are not always mirrored in office calendars.

Private sector companies usually respect core national dates such as Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti from the holiday list 2026. For regional and religious festivals, they may offer a smaller fixed list or optional leave days, depending on internal human resources policies.

For those arranging board exams, semester tests or corporate deadlines, the Holiday Calendar 2026 should be checked against official circulars. State governments, universities, boards and banks typically release final lists closer to each event, which take precedence over earlier reference calendars.

Several holidays in the holiday list 2026 fall near Saturdays or Sundays, including New Year's Day, Labour Day, Independence Day and Diwali. With careful planning, these combinations can help families in India schedule short trips, family gatherings or rest days without using many paid leaves.

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