Holidays in India 2026: Complete Central and State-Wise Public Holiday Calendar

The Central Government has released the official holiday calendar for 2026 for all central offices across India. The list features gazetted holidays, restricted holidays, and optional holidays that employees can choose based on personal, cultural, or regional preferences.

According to the notification, central government employees may avail any two holidays from the restricted holiday list. For central offices located outside Delhi/New Delhi, staff can additionally select any three optional holidays from a set of 12, along with the mandatory gazetted holidays.
Alongside the national list, employees can also refer to state-wise holiday schedules for 2026 to plan ahead.

Gazetted Holidays in India — 2026

January 26 (Monday): Republic Day
March 4 (Wednesday): Holi
March 21 (Saturday): Id-ul-Fitr
March 26 (Thursday): Ram Navami
March 31 (Tuesday): Mahavir Jayanti
April 3 (Friday): Good Friday
May 1 (Friday): Budha Purnima
May 27 (Wednesday): Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)
June 26 (Friday): Muharram
August 15 (Saturday): Independence Day
August 26 (Wednesday): Id-e-Milad
September 4 (Friday): Janmashtami
October 2 (Friday): Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
October 20 (Tuesday): Dussehra
November 8 (Sunday): Diwali
November 24 (Tuesday): Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 25 (Friday): Christmas Day

Restricted Holidays for 2026 (Delhi/New Delhi)

These apply mainly to central offices in Delhi. State coordination committees may curate separate lists reflecting local observances.

January 1: New Year’s Day
January 3: Hazrat Ali Birthday
January 14: Makar Sankranti / Pongal / Magha Bihu
January 23: Basant Panchami
February 1: Guru Ravidas Birthday
February 12: Swami Dayananda Saraswati Jayanti
February 15: Maha Shivratri
February 19: Shivaji Jayanti
March 3: Holika Dahan / Dolyatra
March 19: Gudi Padava / Ugadi
March 20: Jamat-Ul-Vida
April 5: Easter Sunday
April 14: Vaisakhi
April 15: Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu
May 9: Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti
July 16: Rath Yatra
August 15: Parsi New Year / Navroz
August 26: Onam
August 28: Raksha Bandhan
September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi
October 18: Saptami
October 19: Mahashtami
October 20: Mahanavami
October 26: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
October 29: Karwa Chauth
November 8: Naraka Chaturdashi
November 9: Govardhan Puja
November 11: Bhai Dooj
November 15: Chhath Puja
November 24: Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom Day
December 23: Hazrat Ali Birthday
December 24: Christmas Eve

List of 12 Optional Holidays

Employees may choose from the following list (in addition to restricted holidays, where applicable):

Additional Dussehra Day
Holi
Janmashtami (Vaishnavi)
Ram Navami
Maha Shivratri
Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayak Chaturthi
Makar Sankranti
Rath Yatra
Onam
Pongal
Sri Panchami / Basant Panchami
Vishu / Vaisakhi / Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu / Ugadi / Gudi Padava / Chaitra Sukladi / Cheti Chand / Navroz / Chhath Puja / Karwa Chaut

State-Wise Holiday Lists for 2026

Below are highlights of holidays notified by select states:

Maharashtra Holidays 2026

January 26: Republic Day (National Day)
February 15: Mahashivratri
February 19: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
March 3: Holi (Second Day)
March 19: Gudhi Padwa
March 21: Ramzan-Id / Id-Ul-Fitr / Shawal-1 (End of Ramadan)
March 26: Ram Navmi
March 31: Mahavir Janmakalyanak
April 1: Annual Accounts Closing (Bank Holiday)
April 3: Good Friday
April 14: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti
May 1: Buddha Pournima
May 1: Maharashtra Day
May 28: Bakri Id / Id-Uz-Zuha (Feast of Sacrifice)
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
August 15: Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi)
August 26: Id-e-Milad (Prophet’s Birthday)
September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi
October 2: Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
October 20: Dasara
November 8: Diwali Amavasya (Laxmi Pujan)
November 10: Diwali (Bali Pratipada)
November 24: Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 25: Christmas

West Bengal Holidays 2026 (Negotiable Instruments Act)

January 1: New Year’s Day
January 12: Birthday of Swami Vivekananda
January 23: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Birthday
January 23: Saraswati Puja (Sree Panchami)
January 26: Republic Day
March 3: Doljatra
March 21: Eid-Ul-Fitr
March 26: Ram Navami
March 31: Mahavir Jayanti
April 1: Yearly closing of bank accounts (Banks only)
April 3: Good Friday
April 14: Birthday of Dr B. R. Ambedkar
April 15: Bengali New Year’s Day (Nababarsha)
May 1: May Day
May 1: Buddha Purnima
May 9: Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore
May 27: Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid)
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
September 4: Janmashtami
October 2: Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi
October 10: Mahalaya
October 19: Durga Puja – Maha Ashtami
October 20: Durga Puja – Maha Navami
October 21: Durga Puja – Dashami
November 11: Bhratridwitiya
November 24: Birthday of Guru Nanak
December 25: Christmas Day

Holidays In West Bengal 2026

January 22: Day before Saraswati Puja
February 4: Shab-e-Barat
February 14: Birthday of Thakur Panchanan Barma
March 4: Holi (day after Doljatra)
March 17: Birthday of Shri Shri Harichand Thakur (Madhu Krishna Trayodashi Tithi)
March 20: Day before Eid-Ul-Fitr
May 26: Day before Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid)
July 13: Birthday of poet Bhanu Bhakt (Darjeeling and Kalimpong only)
July 16: Rathayatra
August 26: Fateha-Dwaz-Daham
August 28: Rakhi Bandhan
September 17: Viswakarma Puja
October 15: Durga Puja – Maha Chaturthi
October 16: Durga Puja – Maha Panchami
October 17: Durga Puja – Maha Shashthi
October 22: Additional day for Durga Puja
October 23: Additional day for Durga Puja
October 24: Additional day for Durga Puja
October 26: Additional day for Lakshmi Puja
November 9: Additional day for Kali Puja
November 10: Additional day for Kali Puja
November 12: Day after Bhratridwitiya
November 16: Additional day for Chhath Puja

Bihar Holidays 2026

January 23: Basant Panchami
February 1: Sant Ravidas Jayanti
February 4: Shab-e-Barat
February 15: Maha Shivratri
March 26: Samrat Ashok Ashtami
April 23: Veer Kunwar Singh Jayanti
April 25: Janaki Navami
June 29: Kabir Jayanti
August 4: Chehlum
October 17: Durga Puja (Saptami)
November 10: Chitragupt Puja / Bhai Dooj

Telangana Holidays 2026

January 14: Pongal / Makar Sankranti
January 26: Republic Day
March 19: Ugadi
March 21: Id-Ul-Fitr
March 31: Mahavir Jayanti
April 3: Good Friday
May 1: Budha Purnima
May 27: Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
August 26: Milad-un-Nabi / Id-e-Milad
September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaturthi
October 2: Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
October 20: Dussehra
November 8: Diwali (Deepavali)
November 24: Guru Nanak’s Birthday
December 25: Christmas Day

Tamil Nadu Holidays 2026

January 1: New Year’s Day
January 15: Pongal
January 16: Thiruvalluvar Day
January 17: Uzhavar Thirunal
January 26: Republic Day
February 1: Thai Poosam
March 19: Telugu New Year’s Day
March 21: Ramzan (Id-ul-Fitr)
March 31: Mahaveer Jayanthi
April 1: Annual Closing of Accounts (Banks only)
April 3: Good Friday
April 14: Tamil New Year / Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s Birthday
May 1: May Day
May 28: Bakrid (Id-ul-Azha)
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
August 26: Milad-un-Nabi (Prophet’s Birthday)
September 4: Krishna Jayanthi
September 14: Vinayagar Chaturthi
October 2: Gandhi Jayanthi
October 19: Ayudha Pooja
October 20: Vijayadasami
November 8: Deepavali
December 25: Christmas Day

Uttar Pradesh Holidays 2026

January 1: New Year’s Day
January 3: Hazrat Ali’s Birthday
January 26: Republic Day
February 15: Maha Shivratri
March 3: Holi
March 21: Id-ul-Fitr / Ramadan festival begins (varies)
March 27: Ram Navami
March 31: Mahavir Jayanti
April 1: Annual Closing of Accounts
April 3: Good Friday
April 14: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti
May 1: Buddha Purnima
May 27: Bakrid / Eid al-Adha
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
August 25: Eid-e-Milad (Tentative)
August 28: Raksha Bandhan
September 4: Janmashtami
October 2: Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
October 20: Maha Navami
October 21: Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra
November 8: Diwali / Deepavali
November 9: Govardhan Puja / Deepavali Holiday
November 11: Bhai Dooj
November 24: Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 23: Hazrat Ali Jayanti
December 25: Christmas Day

Gujarat Holidays 2026

April 3: Good Friday
April 14: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti
May 1: Buddha Purnima
May 27: Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
June 26: Muharram
August 15: Independence Day
August 25: Eid-e-Milad (Prophet’s Birthday)
August 28: Raksha Bandhan
September 4: Janmashtami
October 2: Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
October 20: Maha Navami / Dussehra
November 8: Diwali
November 9: Govardhan Puja
November 11: Bhai Dooj
November 24: Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 23: Hazrat Ali Jayanti
December 25: Christmas Day

Madhya Pradesh Holidays 2026

January 26: Republic Day
February 15: Maha Shivratri
March 4: Holi
March 21: Id-ul-Fitr
March 31: Mahavir Jayanti
April 3: Good Friday
April 19: Maharshi Parasuram Jayanti
May 1: Buddha Purnima
May 27: Id-ul-Adha (Bakrid)
June 26: Muharram
July 16: Rath Yatra
August 15: Independence Day
August 25: Eid-e-Milad
September 4: Janmashtami
October 2: Gandhi Jayanti
October 20: Dussehra
October 26: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
November 8: Deepavali / Diwali
December 25: Christmas Day

Rajasthan Holidays 2026

January 25: Devnarayan Jayanti
January 26: Republic Day
February 15: Maha Shivaratri
March 2: Holika Dahan
March 3: Dhulandi / Holi
March 20: Cheti Chand
March 21: Eid-ul-Fitr
March 26: Ram Navami
March 31: Mahavir Jayanti
April 3: Good Friday
April 11: Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jayanti
April 14: Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti
April 19: Parshuram Jayanti
May 28: Eid-ul-Zuha / Bakrid
June 17: Maharana Pratap Jayanti
June 26: Muharram
August 9: World Tribal Day
August 15: Independence Day
August 26: Barawafat / Eid-e-Milad
August 28: Raksha Bandhan
September 4: Krishna Janmashtami
September 21: Ramdev Jayanti / Teja Dashmi
October 2: Gandhi Jayanti
October 11: Navratri Sthapana
October 19: Durga Ashtami
October 20: Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra
November 8: Deepawali
November 9: Govardhan Puja
November 11: Bhai Dooj
November 24: Guru Nanak Jayanti
December 25: Christmas Day.

Bottom Line

With a comprehensive mix of national, cultural, and regional observances, the 2026 holiday calendar helps employees plan vacations, festivals, and personal time well in advance. Central and state-level schedules together ensure flexibility while honoring India’s diverse traditions.