Bihar Government Holiday Calendar 2026: Full List of 44 Holidays

The government of Bihar has officially released the calendar of holidays for 2026, listing the dates of public, general, and optional holidays for state government employees. As per the notification, government employees will get a total of 44 holidays during the year, along with arrangements for optional leave and special holidays for banks, courts, and other establishments.

One of the major points of the calendar is that Holi will be observed on two consecutive days, on March 3 and 4, 2026. Similar to past years, the five-day working week for Secretariat and Directorate offices and the six-day week for regional offices will not change.

Major Festival Holidays in 2026

The holiday calendar includes nearly all the major festivals and celebrations observed throughout Bihar. These are:

• Vasant Panchami – January 23 (Friday)
• Sant Ravidas Jayanti – February 1 (Sunday)
• Shab-e-Barat – February 4 (Wednesday)
• Mahashivratri – February 15 (Sunday)
• Holi – March 3 & 4 (Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Bihar Day – March 22 (Sunday)
• Emperor Ashok Ashtami – March 26 (Thursday)
• Veer Kunwar Singh Jayanti – April 23 (Thursday)
• Janaki Navami – April 25 (Saturday)
• Kabir Jayanti – June 29 (Monday)

Other notable holidays are Republic Day, Independence Day, Eid, Durga Puja, Diwali, Buddha Purnima, Christmas, and Muharram.

17 Optional Employee Holidays

Besides the announced holidays, state employees will also be given 17 optional holidays. These include festivals and celebrations of various religious and cultural groups. Each employee will have the option of choosing which of the optional leaves they wish to take, making the system more liberal and inclusive.

Dates of Muslim festivals like Eid and Muharram will follow moon sightings and will thus be subject to change accordingly.

Special Bank and Institutional Holidays

In addition to the public holidays, separate holiday calendars have also been announced for banks, courts, and some government offices. For instance, April 1, 2026, has been declared a holiday for banks to enable the year-end closure of accounts.

Other Important Decisions by the Cabinet

The Nitish Kumar cabinet has recently cleared several significant proposals in addition to the holiday list. These include:

• Establishment of two five-star hotels in Rajgir and one in Vaishali to promote tourism.
• Remission of application fees for candidates appearing in examinations of the commission.
• Sanction of 16 proposals on diverse administrative and development schemes.

Conclusion

The Bihar government holiday list for the year 2026 provides workers with an adequate balance of general and optional leaves and also allows for festivals of various communities. The two-day Holi holiday is likely to be the most significant aspect, and other holidays such as Bihar Day and community festivals are reflective of the state's inclusivity.

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