Telangana Govt Announces 26 Optional Holidays for 2026; Check list!
As the year 2025 comes to an end, many government employees in Telangana have already begun looking ahead to their leave plans for 2026. While public holidays are fixed and common for everyone, optional holidays play a crucial role in helping employees plan personal time, family visits, and travel. For the upcoming year, the Telangana government has officially notified a list of 26 optional holidays, offering flexibility—but with a clear limitation.
Although the list contains 26 dates spread across the calendar, employees are permitted to avail themselves of only five optional holidays during the entire year. This makes thoughtful selection essential for anyone hoping to maximise time away from work.
Optional Holidays in Early 2026
Several optional holidays appear in the first quarter of the year, allowing employees to plan breaks soon after the New Year. These include:
New Year’s Day on January 1 Hazrat Ali Jayanti on January 3 Kanuma on January 16 Shab-e-Meraj on January 17 Sri Panchami on January 22 Shab-e-Barat on February 4 Shahadat Hazrat Ali on March 10Mid-Year Optional Holidays
The middle months of 2026 also feature a diverse mix of cultural and religious observances:
Jumat-ul-Vida on March 13 Shab-e-Qadr on March 17 Mahavir Jayanti on March 31 Tamil New Year on April 14 Basava Jayanti on April 20 Buddha Purnima on May 1 Eid-e-Ghadeer on June 4 9th day of Muharram on June 25Optional Holidays in the Second Half of the Year
From July onward, the optional holiday calendar continues with:
Rath Yatra on July 16 Parsi New Year on August 15 Varalakshmi Vratham on August 21 Yaz Dahum Shareef on September 23 Shravana Purnima (Rakhi Purnima) on September 28 Arbaeen on September 4 Maharnavami on October 18Year-End Optional Holidays
The final stretch of the year includes:
Hazrat Syed Mohammed Juvanpuri Mahdi Maud Jayanti on October 26 Naraka Chaturthi on November 8 Christmas Eve on December 24 Hazrat Ali Jayanti on December 26Planning Is Key
Despite the long list, the restriction of selecting only five optional holidays means employees must plan wisely. The government has indicated that choices should ideally be made from select festivals such as New Year’s Day, Sri Panchami, Jumat-ul-Vida, 9th Muharram, Rath Yatra, Varalakshmi Vratham, Rakhi Purnima, and Christmas Eve.
By choosing dates that fall close to weekends or align with public holidays, employees can extend short breaks into longer periods of rest. Early planning, along with timely travel bookings, can help make 2026 more relaxing and well-balanced for Telangana government staff.
Also read: New Year 2026: Hyderabad Traffic Police Announce Restrictions, Diversions and Strict Checks