The Central Government has officially released the holiday calendar for 2026 to provide an understanding of the public holidays for government offices across India. The notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) includes 17 gazetted holidays and a long list of optional restricted holidays.
Two Types of Government Holidays Explained
The Central Government follows a two-tier holiday system:
Gazetted Holidays (Compulsory)
- All central government offices remain closed
- Applicable across the country
- Total 17 holidays in 2026
Restricted Holidays (Optional)
- Employees can choose any 2 holidays
- Based on personal, cultural, or religious preference
- Includes more than 30 festivals
Offices outside Delhi can also add regional holidays based on local traditions.
Important Update on Islamic Holidays
Some holidays like:
- Id-ul-Fitr
- Bakrid (Id-ul-Zuha)
- Muharram
- Id-e-Milad
These depend on moon sighting, so dates may change slightly. The government will release updates if there is any change.
Full List of 17 Gazetted Holidays in 2026
Here is the official list:
- January 26 (Monday) – Republic Day
- March 4 (Wednesday) – Holi
- March 21 (Saturday) – Id-ul-Fitr (Tentative)
- March 26 (Thursday) – Ram Navami
- March 31 (Tuesday) – Mahavir Jayanti
- April 3 (Friday) – Good Friday
- May 1 (Friday) – Buddha Purnima
- May 27 (Wednesday) – Bakrid (Id-ul-Zuha)
- June 26 (Friday) – Muharram
- August 15 (Saturday) – Independence Day
- August 26 (Wednesday) – Id-e-Milad
- September 4 (Friday) – Janmashtami
- October 2 (Friday) – Gandhi Jayanti
- October 20 (Tuesday) – Dussehra
- November 8 (Sunday) – Diwali (falls on Sunday)
- November 24 (Tuesday) – Guru Nanak Jayanti
- December 25 (Friday) – Christmas
Best Long Weekends in 2026
Good news! 2026 has several long weekends, perfect for travel or family time:
- Jan 24–26 (Sat–Mon) → Republic Day weekend
- Apr 3–5 (Fri–Sun) → Good Friday + weekend
- Aug 14–16 (Fri–Sun) → Independence Day weekend
- Oct 2–4 (Fri–Sun) → Gandhi Jayanti weekend
- Dec 25–27 (Fri–Sun) → Christmas weekend
Smart tip: Apply 1 extra leave and you can extend some weekends into mini vacations.
Popular Restricted Holidays (Optional List)
Employees can choose any 2 holidays from this list:
January
- New Year’s Day
- Makar Sankranti / Pongal
- Basant Panchami
February
- Guru Ravidas Jayanti
- Maha Shivratri
- Shivaji Jayanti
March–April
- Holika Dahan
- Ugadi / Gudi Padwa
- Easter Sunday
- Vaisakhi
- Bohag Bihu
Later Months
- Rath Yatra
- Onam
- Raksha Bandhan
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Karwa Chauth
- Chhath Puja
These help employees celebrate festivals important to them personally.
Bank Holidays & Office Impact
Bank holidays in India are decided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and may vary by state.
Apart from gazetted holidays, banks remain closed on:
- Second Saturday
- Fourth Saturday
- All Sundays
Government organisations like EPFO generally follow the same holiday schedule.
Why This Calendar Matters
This holiday list is useful for:
- Planning vacations
- Scheduling exams or events
- Managing office work and leaves
- Booking travel tickets early
Since some holidays fall on weekends (like Diwali), planning becomes even more important.
Final Thoughts
These holidays in 2026 provide a way for government employees to spend special days with their families. This calendar includes a good mix of national festivals, religious holidays, and long weekends.
