2026 Holidays Full List: National Holidays, Festivals, Optional Leaves & Delhi Gazetted Calendar

As 2025 draws to a close, the Central Government has issued the official holiday calendar for 2026, applicable to all Union government offices across India. The notification includes both compulsory nationwide holidays and a range of optional (restricted) holidays that employees can choose from.

Compulsory National Holidays

All Central government offices will remain closed on key national, cultural and religious occasions such as:

Republic Day

Independence Day

Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti

Buddha Purnima

Christmas

Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)

Diwali (Deepavali)

Good Friday

Guru Nanak Jayanti

Id-ul-Fitr

Id-ul-Zuha

Mahavir Jayanti

Muharram

Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Id-e-Milad)

These holidays apply uniformly across all Central establishments, regardless of location.

Optional Holidays for Employees

In addition to mandatory holidays, Central government employees may select two restricted holidays from an approved list each year. These optional days typically cover regional or community-specific festivals, allowing individuals to observe culturally significant occasions.

For employees posted outside Delhi, the structure varies slightly:

They must observe 14 compulsory holidays

They may choose three optional holidays from a list of 12 decided by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in each state capital.

Employees stationed in Delhi will follow an optional list finalised by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

Optional Festivals for 2026

The restricted holiday options for 2026 include:

Holi

Ram Navami

Janmashtami

Maha Shivratri

Ganesh Chaturthi

Makar Sankranti

Onam

Pongal

Rath Yatra

Basant Panchami

Vishu, Baisakhi, Ugadi, Bohag Bihu and other regional New Year festivals

Chhath Puja, Karva Chauth and similar traditional observances

States may add more festivals to reflect local customs and cultural practices.

Holidays Subject to Moon Sighting

The government has noted that dates for:

Id-ul-Fitr

Id-ul-Zuha

Muharram

Id-e-Milad

may be revised later based on moon sightings. Updated notifications will be issued if necessary.

Gazetted Holidays for Delhi

The circular also lists all gazetted holidays applicable to Central government offices in Delhi and New Delhi, covering major national, cultural and religious observances throughout 2026.