Government Holidays in India – Complete Guide to Gazetted and Restricted Holidays

Government holidays in India are officially declared public holidays observed by Central Government offices, State Governments, public sector undertakings (PSUs), banks, courts, and various government institutions. These holidays are notified annually through official government circulars and are categorized into Gazetted Holidays, Restricted Holidays, National Holidays, and state-specific observances.

India observes national, religious, cultural, and regional holidays across different states and union territories. While some holidays are uniform across the country, others vary depending on the state or local administration.

This page serves as a guide to understanding Government Holidays in India, including types of holidays, how they are declared, and how Central and State holiday lists differ.

Central Government Holidays 2026 – Summary

In 2026, the Central Government has declared:

• 17 Gazetted Holidays
• A list of Restricted (Optional) Holidays for employees
• 3 mandatory National Holidays

Major Gazetted Holidays include:

• Republic Day – 26 January
• Independence Day – 15 August
• Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti – 2 October
• Diwali
• Dussehra
• Christmas Day

👉 View the complete month-wise holiday list here:

Major Holidays Across India

A

• Ambedkar Jayanti — Central Gazetted
• Andhra Pradesh Formation Day — State Holiday
• Anant Chaturdashi — Cultural / Religious
• Ashura (Muharram) — Central Gazetted
• Ayudha Puja — Cultural / State Observed

B

• Bakrid (Eid-ul-Zuha) — Central Gazetted
• Basant Panchami — Central Restricted
• Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) — State Holiday
• Bahag Bihu — State Holiday
• Bhai Dooj — Cultural / Religious
• Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanzara Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Bhai Makhan Shah Labana Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Bihar Day — State Holiday
• Buddha Purnima — Central Gazetted

C

• Chhath Puja — State Holiday
• Christmas Day — Central Gazetted
• Christmas Eve — Central Restricted
• Constitution Day — Commemorative

D

• Dussehra — Central Gazetted
• Diwali (Deepavali) — Central Gazetted
• Dhulandi — Cultural
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti — Central Gazetted

E

• Easter Sunday — Central Restricted
• Eid-e-Milad — Central Gazetted
• Eid-ul-Fitr — Central Gazetted
• Eid-ul-Zuha — Central Gazetted

G

• Gandhi Jayanti — National
• Ganesh Chaturthi — State Holiday
• Goa Liberation Day — State Holiday
• Good Friday — Central Gazetted
• Govardhan Puja — Cultural
• Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s Martyrdom Day — Commemorative / State Observed
• Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Guru Nanak Jayanti — Central Gazetted
• Guru Ravidas Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day — Central Restricted
• Gujarat Day — State Holiday

H

• Hariyali Teej — State Holiday
• Haryana Day — State Holiday
• Hasan Khan Mewati Shaheedi Diwas — Commemorative / Regional
• Hazrat Ali’s Birthday — Central Restricted
• Holi — Central Gazetted
• Holika Dahan — Central Restricted

I

• Independence Day — National

J

• Janmashtami — Central Gazetted
• Jharkhand Foundation Day — State Holiday
• Jumat-ul-Vida — Central Restricted

K

• Kargil Vijay Diwas — Commemorative
• Karva Chauth — Central Restricted
• Karnataka Rajyotsava — State Holiday
• Kerala Piravi — State Holiday
• Kavi Baaje Bhagat Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional

L

• Labour Day (May Day) — State Holiday
• Lakshmi Puja — Cultural / State Observed
• Lohri — Cultural

M

• Maha Ashtami — Central Restricted
• Maha Navami — Central Restricted
• Maha Shivaratri — Central Restricted
• Mahavir Jayanti — Central Gazetted
• Maharaja Daksh Prajapati Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Maharaja Shoorsaini Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Maharana Pratap Jayanti — State Holiday
• Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Maharishi Kashyap Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jayanti — State Holiday
• Makar Sankranti — Central Restricted
• Mateshwari Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Mizoram State Day — State Holiday
• Muharram — Central Gazetted

N

• Nagaland Statehood Day — State Holiday
• Navroz (Parsi New Year) — Central Restricted
• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti — Central Restricted
• New Year’s Day — Central Restricted

O

• Onam — State Holiday

P

• Parsi New Year — Central Restricted
• Pongal — State Holiday
• Prakash Parv — Cultural / Religious

R

• Raksha Bandhan — Central Restricted
• Ram Navami — Central Gazetted
• Rath Yatra — State Holiday
• Republic Day — National

S

• Sant Dhanna Bhagat Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Sant Ladhu Nath Ji Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Sant Namdev Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Sant Ravidas Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Sant Sain Bhagat Maharaj Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti — Commemorative / State Observed
• Shri Guru Gauraksh Nath Memorial Day — Commemorative / Regional
• Shri Guru Jambheshwar Ji Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Shivaji Jayanti — State Holiday
• Sikkim State Day — State Holiday
• Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti — Central Restricted

T

• Telangana Formation Day — State Holiday
• Tamil New Year — State Holiday
• Tripura Statehood Day — State Holiday

U

• Ugadi — State Holiday
• Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day — State Holiday

V

• Valmiki Jayanti — Central Restricted
• Veer Banda Bairagi Balidan Diwas — Commemorative / Regional
• Virangana Jhalkari Bai Jayanti — Commemorative / Regional
• Vishu — State Holiday
• Vishwakarma Jayanti — Cultural / State Observed

W

• West Bengal Foundation Day — State Holiday

What Are Government Holidays?

Government holidays are officially sanctioned non-working days declared by the Government of India or respective State Governments. These holidays are observed by government departments, public institutions, and in many cases, public sector banks.

On government holidays:

• Central and State Government offices remain closed
• Public sector banks may remain closed (depending on notification)
• Government educational institutions observe holidays
• Courts and administrative departments suspend regular work

Holiday lists are officially issued through government notifications. For Central Government offices, the notification is released by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. State Government holidays are issued by respective State General Administration Departments (GAD). Bank holidays are governed by notifications under the Reserve Bank of India and the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Government holidays ensure uniformity in administrative functioning while allowing observance of important national, cultural, and religious events across the country.

Types of Government Holidays in India

Government holidays in India are broadly divided into multiple categories depending on their nature and applicability.

1. Gazetted Holidays

Gazetted Holidays are mandatory public holidays officially published in the Gazette of India. On these days, all Central Government offices remain closed, and most State Government offices also observe closure if notified.

These holidays generally include nationally significant events such as:

• Republic Day (26 January)
• Independence Day (15 August)
• Gandhi Jayanti (2 October)

Public sector undertakings and many government institutions follow the Gazetted Holiday schedule strictly.

2. Restricted Holidays (Optional Holidays)

Restricted Holidays, also known as Optional Holidays, allow employees to choose certain holidays based on personal preference, religious beliefs, or regional customs. Unlike Gazetted Holidays, these are not compulsory for all employees.

Common examples include:

• Eid
• Guru Nanak Jayanti
• Onam
• Christmas Eve (in some departments)

Each government department specifies how many Restricted Holidays an employee can avail during a calendar year.

3. National Holidays

India observes three mandatory National Holidays throughout the country:

• Republic Day (26 January)
• Independence Day (15 August)
• Gandhi Jayanti (2 October)

These holidays are compulsory across all states and union territories and are observed by government offices, educational institutions, and many private establishments.

4. State Government Holidays

In addition to national and central holidays, State Governments declare holidays specific to regional festivals and cultural events.

Examples include:

• Pongal in Tamil Nadu
• Bihu in Assam
• Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Chhath Puja in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh

State holiday lists vary significantly and are notified separately each year. Therefore, holiday schedules may differ from one state to another.

5. Bank Holidays

Bank holidays are declared under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act and are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India along with state notifications. These holidays may not always align exactly with general government holidays and can vary by state.

Central vs State Government Holidays

While Central Government offices follow a uniform holiday list applicable across India, State Governments issue separate notifications based on regional requirements.

The Central Government holiday list typically includes:

• National Holidays
• Major religious festivals
• Gazetted Holidays
• Restricted Holidays

State Government holiday lists generally include:

• Most Central holidays
• State-specific festivals
• Local observances

Since each state may declare additional regional festivals and local observances, the total number of distinct government holidays across India can exceed 70 days in a calendar year when all categories and states are combined.

How Government Holidays Are Declared

Government holiday lists are issued annually, usually in October or November for the upcoming year. These official notifications clearly mention:

• Date of the holiday
• Day of the week
• Category (Gazetted or Restricted)
• Applicable departments

For Central Government employees, holiday notifications are issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). State Governments release their notifications through respective General Administration Departments.

How Many Government Holidays Are There in India?

India officially observes three mandatory National Holidays across the country. In addition, the Central Government typically declares around 14–17 Gazetted Holidays and a list of Restricted Holidays. State Governments may declare additional regional holidays, resulting in more than 70 distinct government holidays nationwide when all states are considered together.

Why Government Holiday Lists Are Important

Government holiday lists are important not only for employees but also for citizens and job aspirants who interact with government departments.

These lists are particularly useful for:

• Government employees
• Banking professionals
• Students preparing for competitive exams
• Job aspirants planning document verification visits
• Individuals scheduling court-related appointments
• Public service planning

For candidates preparing for government jobs, knowing the official holiday schedule helps in planning application deadlines, examination dates, document verification, and reporting schedules efficiently.

Legal Classification of Government Holidays

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)