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Holiday List 2026 Released: Offices To Remain Closed In India On These Dates, Check Complete Schedule

The central government has published the list of public holidays for 2026, which covers both compulsory and optional holidays for government offices across the country.

2026 Central Government Holiday List
The 2026 holiday calendar includes 14 compulsory holidays and 12 optional holidays. (Photo source: Canva AI)
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The central government has released the official list of public holidays for 2026. The holiday calendar for next year includes both compulsory and optional holidays for all public departments and offices. The 2026 holiday calendar includes 14 compulsory holidays and 12 optional holidays.

Employees stationed outside Delhi and New Delhi have to follow a slightly different holiday system. These employees must take 14 mandatory national holidays and also select three from 12 optional days. The central government employees can choose any two days from the restricted holidays in addition to the compulsory public holidays, as per the government circular.

List Of Compulsory Holidays In 2026

  1. Republic Day

  2. Independence Day

  3. Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday

  4. Buddha Purnima

  5. Christmas Day

  6. Dussehra (Vijay Dashmi)

  7. Diwali (Deepavali)

  8. Good Friday

  9. Guru Nanak’s Birthday

  10. Idu’l Fitr

  11. Idu’l Zuha

  12. Mahavir Jayanti

  13. Muharram

  14. Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday (Id-e-Milad)

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List Of Optional Holidays In 2026

For government offices in New Delhi and Delhi, the Department of Personnel & Training is responsible for selecting three holidays. For offices outside this region, the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in state capitals, if required, in consultation with other Coordination Committees within the state, chooses three holidays from the specified list.

1. An additional day for Dussehra

2. Holi

3. Janamashtami (Vaishnavi)

4. Ram Navami

5. Maha Shivratri

6. Ganesh Chaturthi/ Vinayak Chaturthi

7. Makar Sankranti

8. Rath Yatra

9. Onam

10. Pongal

11. Sri Panchami/ Basant Panchami

12. Vishu / Vaisakhi / Vaisakhadi / Bhag Bihu / Mashadi Ugadi / Chaitra Sukladi / Cheti Chand / Gudi Padava / 1st Navratra / Naoraz / Chhath Pooja / Karva Chauth

List Of Gazetted Holidays In 2026

  1. Republic Day, January 26

  2. Holi, March 4

  3. Id-ul-Fitr, March 21

  4. Ram Navami, March 26

  5. Mahavir Jayanti, March 31

  6. Good Friday, April 3

  7. Buddha Purnima, May 1

  8. Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid), May 27

  9. Muharram, June 26

  10. Independence Day, August 15

  11. Milad-un-Nabi / Id-e-Milad, August 26

  12. Janmashtami, September 4

  13. Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, October 2

  14. Dussehra (Vijay Dashami), October 20

  15. Diwali (Deepavali), November 8

  16. Guru Nanak’s Birthday, November 24

  17. Christmas Day, December 25

List Of Restricted Holidays In 2026

  1. New Year's Day, January 1

  2. Hazarat Ali's Birthday, January 3

  3. Makar Sankranti, January14

  4. Magha Bihu / Pongal, January 14

  5. Sri Panchami/ Basant Panchami, January 23

  6. Guru Ravi Das's Birthday, February 1

  7. Birthday of Dayananda Saraswati, February 12

  8. Maha Shivratri, February 15

  9. Shiva ji Jayanti, February 19

  10. Holika dahan, March 3

  11. Dolyatra, March 3

  12. Chaitra Sukladi / Gudi Padava / Ugadi / Cheti Chand, March 19

  13. Jamat-UI-Vida, March 20

  14. Easter Sunday, April 5

  15. Vaisakhi / Visu / Meshadi (Tamil New Year's Day), April 14

  16. Vaisakhadi (Bengal) / Bahag Bihu (Assam), April 15

  17. Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore Guru, May 9

  18. Rath Yatra, July 16

  19. Parsi New Year's day/ Nauraj, August 15

  20. Onam or Thiru Onam Day, August 26

  21. Raksha Bandhan, August 28

  22. Ganesh Chaturthi/ Vinayak Chaturthi, September 14

  23. Dussehra (Saptami), October 18

  24. Dussehra (Mahashtami), October 19

  25. Dussehra (Mahanavmi), October 20

  26. Maharishi Valmiki's Birthday, October 26

  27. Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chouth), October 29

  28. Naraka Chaturdasi, November 8

  29. Govardhan Puja, November 9

  30. Bhai Duj, November 11

  31. Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi (Chhat Puja), November 15

  32. Guru Teg Bahadur's Martyrdom Day, November 24

  33. Hazarat Ali's Birthday, December 23

  34. Christmas Eve, December 24

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