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Public holidays in India

15 days in 2026 · 13 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Gandhi Jayanti

Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday

After it: Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), Tuesday 20 October

Friday, 2 October 2026

India has three national holidays in law: Republic Day on 26 January, Independence Day on 15 August and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on 2 October. Everything else is set year by year. Each summer the Department of Personnel and Training issues an office memorandum for the following year, and in 2026 central government offices across the country close on 15 dates: the 14 compulsory holidays of that memorandum and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birthday on 14 April, added by a separate order. The 2027 list, issued on 16 July 2026, has 14 compulsory holidays that fall on 13 dates, since Independence Day and the Prophet's birthday share Sunday 15 August.

The compulsory list takes in Hindu festivals such as Dussehra and Diwali, the two Eids, Muharram and the Prophet's birthday, Good Friday and Christmas, Buddha Purnima, Mahavir Jayanti and Guru Nanak's birthday. On top of them every office observes three more days picked from a list of 12. In Delhi and New Delhi the department itself chose Holi, Ram Navami and Janmashtami for both years; elsewhere a coordination committee of central government staff in each state capital makes the choice, so the third tier of holidays differs from state to state.

Each central government employee may also take two restricted holidays from a longer list, 34 occasions for Delhi in 2026 and 31 on file for 2027, among them New Year's Day, Pongal, Chhath Puja and Christmas Eve. State governments publish their own calendars under section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act of 1881, and banks follow the Department of Financial Services, so a date shown here is the central government's day off and may differ locally.

Days off in 2026
15Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
12Monday to Friday
On a weekend
3Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
6and 5 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in India in 2026

  1. 26 January: Republic DayMarks 26 January 1950, when the Constitution of India came into force. The Constituent Assembly had adopted it on 26 November 1949, and the flag cannot fly at half-mast on this day.Monday
  2. 21 March: Eid al-FitrId-ul-FitrThe breaking of the fast at the end of Ramadan, on the first day of Shawwal. The date depends on the sighting of the moon and can move at short notice.SaturdayDate moves
  3. 31 March: Mahavir JayantiThe Jain festival of the birth of Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of the present age.TuesdayDate moves
  4. 3 April: Good FridayThe Christian commemoration of the crucifixion, and with Christmas one of two Christian days on the compulsory list.FridayDate moves
  5. 14 April: Ambedkar JayantiBirthday of Dr. B.R. AmbedkarAmbedkar chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. The day is declared a holiday by its own order each year: for 2026 the order came on 9 April and covered every central government office in India, industrial establishments included.TuesdayDate moves
  6. 1 May: Buddha PurnimaThe birth of Gautama Buddha, kept on the full moon of the month of Vaisakha.FridayDate moves
  7. 28 May: Eid al-AdhaId-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)Eid al-Adha honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. The 2026 list gave Wednesday 27 May; an order of 22 May moved the Delhi holiday to Thursday 28 May once the moon had been sighted.ThursdayDate moves
  8. 26 June: MuharramAshura, the tenth day of Muharram, when Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali. Like the two Eids and the Prophet's birthday, its date can be changed on the sighting of the moon.FridayDate moves
  9. 15 August: Independence DayIndependence from British rule on 15 August 1947, the day the tricolour became the flag of the Dominion of India. It falls on a Saturday in 2026 and a Sunday in 2027, and no substitute day is given.Saturday
  10. 26 August: Prophet Muhammad's BirthdayMilad-un-Nabi or Id-e-MiladThe birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, kept in Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. In 2027 it coincides with Independence Day.WednesdayDate moves
  11. 2 October: Gandhi JayantiMahatma Gandhi's BirthdayGandhi Jayanti, the third national holiday, honours Mahatma Gandhi, who was born on 2 October 1869.Friday
  12. 20 October: Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)DussehraVijayadashami, the tenth day of Ashvin, celebrates the victory of good over evil. Saptami, Mahashtami and Mahanavmi, the days that lead up to it, are restricted holidays in Delhi, and an additional Dussehra day is one of the 12 options a state may pick.TuesdayDate moves
  13. 8 November: DiwaliDiwali (Deepavali)The festival of lights, on the new moon of Ashvin or Kartika, is also Bandi Chhor Divas for Sikhs. In 2026 it falls on Sunday 8 November. A state that keeps Naraka Chaturdasi as its Diwali holiday may close central offices on that day in its place.SundayDate moves
  14. 24 November: Guru Nanak JayantiGuru Nanak's BirthdayThe birth of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru, born in 1469. The martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur is a restricted holiday.TuesdayDate moves
  15. 25 December: Christmas DayThe birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve is on the restricted list.Friday

Long weekends

Long weekends in India in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 3daysSat 24 Jan to Mon 26 JanRepublic Day
  • 4daysSat 28 Mar to Tue 31 MarWith Mon 30 Mar taken as leave · Mahavir Jayanti
  • 3daysFri 3 Apr to Sun 5 AprGood Friday
  • 4daysSat 11 Apr to Tue 14 AprWith Mon 13 Apr taken as leave · Ambedkar Jayanti
  • 3daysFri 1 May to Sun 3 MayBuddha Purnima
  • 4daysThu 28 May to Sun 31 MayWith Fri 29 May taken as leave · Eid al-Adha
  • 3daysFri 26 Jun to Sun 28 JunMuharram
  • 3daysFri 2 Oct to Sun 4 OctGandhi Jayanti
  • 4daysSat 17 Oct to Tue 20 OctWith Mon 19 Oct taken as leave · Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
  • 4daysSat 21 Nov to Tue 24 NovWith Mon 23 Nov taken as leave · Guru Nanak Jayanti
  • 3daysFri 25 Dec to Sun 27 DecChristmas Day

2027

Public holidays in India in 2027

  1. 26 January: Republic DayTuesday
  2. 10 March: Eid al-FitrId-ul-FitrWednesdayDate moves
  3. 26 March: Good FridayFridayDate moves
  4. 19 April: Mahavir JayantiMondayDate moves
  5. 17 May: Eid al-AdhaId-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)MondayDate moves
  6. 20 May: Buddha PurnimaThursdayDate moves
  7. 16 June: MuharramWednesdayDate moves
  8. 15 August: Independence DaySunday
  9. 2 October: Gandhi JayantiMahatma Gandhi's BirthdaySaturday
  10. 9 October: Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)DussehraSaturdayDate moves
  11. 29 October: DiwaliDiwali (Deepavali)FridayDate moves
  12. 14 November: Guru Nanak JayantiGuru Nanak's BirthdaySundayDate moves
  13. 25 December: Christmas DaySaturday

Regional

Holidays kept in parts of India

Public holidays in 2026 that are days off only in the regions listed, by their ISO 3166-2 codes.

  1. 4 March: HoliIN-DLThe festival of colours on the full moon of Phalguna, marking the arrival of spring. It is one of the three days chosen for Delhi.WednesdayDate moves
  2. 26 March: Ram NavamiIN-DLThe birth of Rama, on the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra. One of Delhi's three chosen days.ThursdayDate moves
  3. 4 September: JanmashtamiJanmashtami (Vaishnava)IN-DLThe birth of Krishna, on the eighth day of the dark half of Shravana, dated here by the Vaishnava reckoning. One of Delhi's three chosen days.FridayDate moves

Observances

Days marked in India that are not days off

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayIN-DLThursday
  2. 3 January: Hazarat Ali's BirthdayIN-DLSaturdayDate moves
  3. 14 January: Makar SankrantiIN-DLWednesdayDate moves
  4. 14 January: Magha Bihu/PongalIN-DLWednesdayDate moves
  5. 23 January: Sri Panchami/Basant PanchamiIN-DLFridayDate moves
  6. 1 February: Guru Ravi Das's BirthdayIN-DLSundayDate moves
  7. 12 February: Swami Dayananda Saraswati's BirthdayIN-DLThursdayDate moves
  8. 15 February: Maha ShivratriIN-DLSundayDate moves
  9. 19 February: Shivaji JayantiIN-DLThursday
  10. 3 March: Holika DahanIN-DLTuesdayDate moves
  11. 3 March: DolyatraIN-DLTuesdayDate moves
  12. 19 March: Chaitra Sukladi/Gudi Padava/Ugadi/Cheti ChandIN-DLThursdayDate moves
  13. 20 March: Jamat-ul-VidaIN-DLFridayDate moves
  14. 5 April: Easter SundayIN-DLSundayDate moves
  15. 14 April: Vaisakhi/Vishu/Meshadi (Tamil New Year's Day)IN-DLTuesday
  16. 15 April: Vaisakhadi (Bengal)/Bahag Bihu (Assam)IN-DLWednesday
  17. 9 May: Guru Rabindranath Tagore's BirthdayIN-DLSaturday
  18. 16 July: Rath YatraIN-DLThursdayDate moves
  19. 15 August: Parsi New Year's Day/NaurazIN-DLSaturday
  20. 26 August: Onam or Thiru Onam DayIN-DLWednesdayDate moves
  21. 28 August: Raksha BandhanIN-DLFridayDate moves
  22. 14 September: Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak ChaturthiIN-DLMondayDate moves
  23. 18 October: Dussehra (Saptami)IN-DLSundayDate moves
  24. 19 October: Dussehra (Mahashtami)IN-DLMondayDate moves
  25. 20 October: Dussehra (Mahanavmi)IN-DLTuesdayDate moves
  26. 26 October: Maharishi Valmiki's BirthdayIN-DLMondayDate moves
  27. 29 October: Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chauth)IN-DLThursdayDate moves
  28. 8 November: Naraka ChaturdasiIN-DLSundayDate moves
  29. 9 November: Govardhan PujaIN-DLMondayDate moves
  30. 11 November: Bhai DujIN-DLWednesdayDate moves
  31. 15 November: Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi (Chhath Puja)IN-DLSundayDate moves
  32. 24 November: Guru Teg Bahadur's Martyrdom DayIN-DLTuesday
  33. 23 December: Hazarat Ali's BirthdayIN-DLWednesdayDate moves
  34. 24 December: Christmas EveIN-DLThursday

The list for the year ahead is fixed in the memorandum, and it says that no change of festival or date is allowed with one exception: the two Eids, Muharram and the Prophet's birthday may move with the sighting of the moon. For Delhi the Department of Personnel and Training announces the change after checking with the Delhi government; outside Delhi the state coordination committees follow their state government. Because such a change can come at a few days' notice, the memorandum lets offices act on an announcement by the Press Information Bureau, television, All India Radio or the newspapers. The Bakrid holiday of 2026 moved this way.

A holiday that lands on a weekly off is lost. The memorandum rules out a substitute day, both for a weekend and for two festivals on one date. In 2026 that happens to Id-ul-Fitr and Independence Day on Saturdays and to Diwali on a Sunday; in 2027 to six of the 14, two of them on the same Sunday.

Central government bodies that run industrial, commercial or trading establishments keep up to 16 holidays of their own choosing, the three national days among them. Union territory administrations follow instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Some dates are not on file. The 2027 restricted list as transcribed skips one entry, number 21, and the day is left out. No order for Ambedkar's birthday in 2027 had been published by 30 September 2026, so 14 April 2027 appears as a normal working day until one is. timeanddate places Holi 2027 on Monday 22 March; the memorandum gives Tuesday 23 March, Chaitra 2 in the national calendar, with Holika Dahan on the day before.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in India

How many national holidays does India have?

Three. Republic Day on 26 January, Independence Day on 15 August and Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October are the only days declared national holidays by the Government of India, and they are the only three every central government establishment must keep, whatever else it chooses. Every other holiday, however widely observed, is either on the central list for the year or declared by a state.

What is the difference between gazetted and restricted holidays?

A gazetted holiday closes the office for everyone: in 2026 that meant 17 days for central government offices in Delhi, 18 counting Ambedkar's birthday. A restricted holiday is a day an individual employee may take off, and each may choose two from the restricted list, which for Delhi in 2026 held 34 occasions such as Raksha Bandhan, Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi and Karwa Chauth. Offices stay open on those days.

Why do holidays differ between Delhi and other states?

Only 14 holidays are compulsory everywhere. Three more come from a list of 12 festivals, among them Holi, Ram Navami, Onam, Pongal, Rath Yatra, Makar Sankranti and an extra day for Dussehra. For Delhi the Department of Personnel and Training picks them; for 2026 and 2027 it chose Holi, Ram Navami and Janmashtami. In each state the choice falls to the coordination committee of central government employees in the capital, and once notified it applies to every central office in that state.

When is Diwali in 2026 and 2027?

The central list puts Diwali on Sunday 8 November 2026, Kartika 17 in the national calendar, and on Friday 29 October 2027. Because the 2026 date is a Sunday, central offices get no extra day off for it. Some states celebrate a day earlier, on Naraka Chaturdasi, and where a state closes only on that day, central offices there may do the same. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Duj follow Diwali on the restricted list.

Is there a day off in lieu when a holiday falls on a weekend?

No. The memorandum for each year states that no substitute holiday is given when a festival falls on a weekly off or when two festivals share a date. That costs central staff three days in 2026, when Id-ul-Fitr and Independence Day fall on Saturdays and Diwali on a Sunday. In 2027 the losses are larger: Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra and Christmas fall on Saturdays, Guru Nanak's birthday on a Sunday, and Independence Day and the Prophet's birthday together on Sunday 15 August.

Why can Eid be moved at the last minute?

Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram and the Prophet's birthday follow the Islamic lunar calendar, and the day depends on when the new moon is sighted. The list printed a year ahead gives an expected date, and the memorandum allows it to be changed. In 2026 the Bakrid holiday listed for Wednesday 27 May was moved on 22 May to Thursday 28 May, after word that the festival would be celebrated in Delhi on the later day.

Is Ambedkar Jayanti a public holiday?

It has been declared one by a separate order, year by year, and it does not appear in the annual list. For 2026 the Department of Personnel and Training declared Tuesday 14 April a holiday for all central government offices, industrial establishments included, throughout India, by an order dated 9 April. The 2027 list of 16 July 2026 does not include the day, and no order for 2027 had appeared by the end of September 2026.

Which central holiday comes next in 2026?

Gandhi Jayanti on Friday 2 October opens a three-day weekend. Dussehra follows on Tuesday 20 October, with the preceding Monday a restricted holiday for Mahashtami, so staff who take it get four days in a row. After Diwali on Sunday 8 November come Guru Nanak's birthday on Tuesday 24 November and Christmas on Friday 25 December, which gives another long weekend.

Dates from Written from the sources, read 2026-09-30. The page counts from Wednesday, 30 September 2026, the day it was built.