2026 Calendar: The Central government has notified its official holiday calendar for 2026, giving employees a clear look at their days off for the year. The list includes 17 public holidays, while government staff can also choose any two days from a longer list of restricted holidays. Beyond the headline holidays like Republic Day and Independence Day, some key dates are falling on Fridays and weekends, 2026 could offer more breathing space than it first appears.
2026 Calendar with Holidays:
The Central government holiday calendar follows a two-layer system. Certain days remain fixed public holidays, when offices stay closed across the board. Alongside these, employees are allowed to select any two restricted holidays based on personal, regional or religious preference.
2026 Holiday Calendar Central Government: Full Gazetted Holiday List
Here are the 17 public holidays notified for next year:
- January 26, Monday: Republic Day
- March 4, Wednesday: Holi
- March 21, Saturday: Id-ul-Fitr
- March 26, Thursday: Ram Navami
- March 31, Tuesday: Mahavir Jayanti
- April 3, Friday: Good Friday
- May 1, Friday: Buddha Purnima
- May 27, Wednesday: Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)
- June 26, Friday: Muharram
- August 15, Saturday: Independence Day
- August 26, Wednesday: Id-e-Milad
- September 4, Friday: Janmashtami
- October 2, Friday: Mahatma Gandhi Birthday
- October 20, Tuesday: Dussehra
- November 8, Sunday: Diwali
- November 24, Tuesday: Guru Nanak Birthday
- December 25: Christmas Day
2026 Restricted holidays list
Government employees can choose any two holidays from the restricted list below, depending on personal preference:
- January 1, Thursday: New Year’s Day
- January 3, Saturday: Hazarat Ali Birthday
- January 14, Wednesday: Makar Sankranti
- January 14, Wednesday: Pongal/Magha Bihu Bihu
- January 23, Friday: Basant Panchami
- February 1, Sunday: Guru Ravi Das Birthday
- February 12, Thursday: Swami Dayananda Birthday
- February 15, Sunday: Maha Shivratri
- February 19, Thursday: Shiva ji Jayanti
- March 3, Tuesday: Holika Dahan
- March 3, Tuesday: Dolyatra
- March 19, Thursday: Gudi Padava/Ugadi
- March 20, Friday: Jamaat-ul-Vida
- April 5, Sunday: Easter Sunday
- April 14, Tuesday: Vaisakhi
- April 15, Wednesday: Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu
- May 9, Saturday: Rabindranath Tagore Birthday
- July 16, Thursday: Rath Yatra
- August 15, Saturday: Parsi New Year / Nauraj
- August 26, Wednesday: Onam
- August 28, Friday: Raksha Bandhan
- September 14, Monday: Ganesh Chaturthi
- October 18, Sunday: Saptami
- October 19, Monday: Mahashtami
- October 20, Tuesday: Mahanavmi
- October 26, Monday: Maharishi Valmiki Birthday
- October 29, Thursday: Karwa Chouth
- November 8, Sunday: Naraka Chaturdasi
- November 9, Monday: Govardhan Puja
- November 11, Wednesday: Bhai Duj
- November 15, Sunday: Chhat Puja
- November 24, Tuesday: Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom Day
- December 23, Wednesday: Hazarat Ali Birthday
- December 24, Thursday: Christmas Eve
While the list looks routine on paper, it quietly affects office workflow, exam schedules, court hearings and travel demand. With several holidays landing close to weekends, employees who plan their restricted picks well could stretch short breaks into longer pauses.