Public Holiday Calendar Guide for India
India does not have a single public-holiday list that applies in exactly the same way to every workplace, bank and government office. The practical calendar combines central-government holidays, state and union-territory holidays, bank holidays and employment rules that vary by jurisdiction and sector. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday occupy a particularly important nationwide place, while religious and regional festivals add substantial local variation. [1][2][3]
Why India's Holiday Calendar Varies by Location
For Central Government offices, the Department of Personnel and Training issues an annual holiday memorandum. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday are among the compulsory holidays observed by Central Government administrative offices throughout India, alongside a broader group of major religious and cultural festivals. Offices outside Delhi and New Delhi also follow a process for selecting additional holidays that reflects regional importance. [1]
This central-government calendar should not be mistaken for a universal employment calendar for every private business. States and union territories publish their own holiday schedules, and employment conditions can depend on state legislation and the type of establishment. The National Portal of India accordingly provides separate holiday-calendar navigation for individual states and union territories in addition to the central schedule. [2]
Gazetted and Restricted Holidays
Central Government holiday planning distinguishes between gazetted holidays and restricted holidays. The official annual arrangements provide a list of holidays observed by government offices and a separate list from which eligible Central Government employees may choose restricted holidays. This gives employees limited flexibility to observe festivals or occasions that may be particularly significant to their religion, community or region. [1][2]
The distinction is useful for travellers and businesses as well. A festival appearing on an official calendar does not necessarily mean that every office or workplace across India will close for it. Before treating a date as a nationwide closure, check whether the relevant listing is a gazetted holiday, a restricted holiday, a state holiday or a holiday applying to a particular institution. [1][2]
A Calendar of National, Religious and Regional Traditions
India's official holiday schedules reflect the country's religious and cultural diversity. Central Government calendars include observances associated with Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain traditions, including festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, Good Friday, Guru Nanak's Birthday, Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Buddha Purnima and Mahavir Jayanti. [1]
Regional variation adds another layer. Festivals such as Onam, Pongal, Ganesh Chaturthi, Vishu, Bihu, Ugadi and Chhath can have particular importance in specific parts of the country, and the Central Government's own framework for offices outside the capital recognises regional considerations when additional holidays are selected. [1] For anyone coordinating teams in several states, the relevant local calendars therefore matter as much as the headline national observances.
Republic Day and Independence Day
Republic Day commemorates the coming into force of the Constitution of India and is marked by major official ceremonies, most prominently the national celebration in the capital. Independence Day commemorates India's independence from British rule; the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort and addresses the nation as part of the official observance. [3][4]
Both occasions are also marked beyond the principal national ceremonies through flag hoisting and commemorative programmes organised by public institutions and communities. Together with Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday, they form the three national occasions that appear as compulsory holidays in the Central Government's framework for administrative offices across the country. [1][3][4]
Bank Holidays Are Regional Too
Bank closures require their own check. The Reserve Bank of India publishes a holiday matrix by regional office, and the entries can differ considerably between locations because holidays declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act reflect state and regional calendars. RBI guidance explains that authority to declare such public holidays within states has been delegated to state governments, while the Central Government retains its own power to make declarations. [5][6]
The RBI calendar therefore shows why a bank holiday in one city should not automatically be assumed to apply in another. Customers planning branch-dependent transactions should check the relevant RBI regional calendar or their bank's notices rather than relying solely on a general list of Indian public holidays. Digital payment and banking services may also have different operating arrangements from physical branches. [5]
Practical Planning for Employers and Travellers
Multi-state employers should maintain location-specific calendars rather than one nationwide list. A useful compliance workflow is to start with the relevant central schedule where applicable, then check the state or union-territory notification and the employment rules governing the establishment. Bank closures should be checked separately through RBI information. [1][2][5]
Travellers should use the same location-specific approach. Major festivals can affect government services, banks and individual businesses differently, while regional festivals may have a much greater operational impact in one state than elsewhere. Festival dates determined by lunar or other traditional calendars can also require annual confirmation; the Central Government's holiday instructions expressly provide mechanisms for adjusting certain observances according to the relevant religious or local determination. [1] Checking the official calendar for the destination and relevant year is therefore more reliable than assuming a fixed all-India schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in India
Does India have only three national holidays?
Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday are commonly distinguished as India's three national holidays and are compulsory holidays in the Central Government framework. However, India's actual public-holiday system is much broader, with additional central, state, regional and religious holidays. [1][2]
Are all public holidays mandatory paid days off for every employee in India?
No single nationwide rule makes every holiday appearing on a government calendar an identical paid entitlement for every employee. The applicable rules depend on factors such as the state or union territory, the type of establishment and the relevant employment legislation. Central Government holiday schedules specifically govern the offices and employees within their scope rather than every private workplace in India. [1][2]
What is a restricted holiday?
In the Central Government system, restricted holidays are drawn from a separate official list and allow eligible employees to choose a limited number of additional observances. They should not be confused with holidays on which all relevant Central Government offices are scheduled to close. [1][2]
Are bank holidays the same throughout India?
No. The Reserve Bank of India's holiday matrix is organised by regional office and shows substantial geographic variation. Holidays declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act can depend on state-level notifications, so a bank branch may be closed for a festival in one state while branches elsewhere remain open. [5][6]
How should a business with offices in several Indian states manage holidays?
Maintain a calendar for each work location. Check the applicable central schedule where relevant, the official state or union-territory holiday calendar, local employment requirements and any sector-specific rules. For banking operations, consult the RBI's regional holiday information separately. [1][2][5]
Sources
- Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2026 - reg.- Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Government of India
- Holiday Calendar- National Portal of India
- Republic Day Celebration- National Portal of India
- Independence Day of India- National Portal of India
- Holidays- Reserve Bank of India
- Master Circular on Customer Service- Reserve Bank of India