# India holiday and school calendar announcements

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/india-holiday-calendar-announcements
> Updated: 2026-08-31T02:30:41.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 5.

In July 2026, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions issued the official holiday calendar for central government offices for 2027. Released via Office Memorandum No. 12/2/2023-JCA, the schedule mandates gazetted holidays for events such as Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Buddha Purnima, Dussehra, Guru Nanak’s Birthday, Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, and Milad-un-Nabi. The policy allows employees to select two restricted holidays from a list of regional festivals. For offices outside Delhi, state-level coordination committees prepare common lists by selecting three holidays from twelve regional festivals. Later that month, education authorities released the school holiday schedule for August 2026, detailing nine days of closures including national holidays like Independence Day, Milad-un-Nabi, and Raksha Bandhan, alongside regional observances such as Onam in Kerala. By late August 2026, regional holiday schedules have become more specific. In Kerala, the state government declared holidays from August 25 to August 28 for Onam. Many northern and western states, including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, expected school closures on August 28 for Raksha Bandhan. In Punjab, a statewide ‘Maha Hartal’ called by government employees and pensioners regarding Dearness Allowance and pension demands on August 27 was expected to cause disruptions, particularly in government schools. Looking ahead to September 2026, religious observances continue to impact school and banking schedules. Key festivals include Shri Krishna Janmashtami on September 4, which is expected to result in bank holidays across states such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, as well as school closures in various regions. Other significant observances include Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14, Gauri Pujan on September 18, Ramdev Jayanti and Teja Dashami in Rajasthan on September 21, and Anant Chaturdashi on September 25.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-31: India observes religious holidays affecting schools and banks

Various religious festivals in India, including Muharram and Janmashtami, will trigger widespread school, bank, and commercial closures across multiple states throughout June and September 2026.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-school-holiday-schedule-for-september-2026

### 2026-08-26: India school holidays: Regional closures expected for festivals and protests

Schools across various Indian states, including Punjab and Kerala, face potential closures or extended breaks due to Raksha Bandhan, Onam, and a planned statewide protest in Punjab.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-school-holidays-regional-closures-expected-for-festivals-and-protests

### 2026-08-25: India festivals and school holidays scheduled for September 2026

September 2026 in India will see numerous Hindu festivals, including Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi, leading to various school holidays across multiple states.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-festivals-and-school-holidays-scheduled-for-september-2026

### 2026-07-30: India's August 2026 School Holiday Schedule Released

India's August 2026 school calendar lists nine holidays, including Independence Day (Aug 15), Milad‑un‑Nabi (Aug 26), Raksha Bandhan (Aug 28) and regional festivals like Kerala's Onam.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indias-august-2026-school-holiday-schedule-released

### 2026-07-17: India Issues 2027 Central Government Holiday Calendar

India's DoPT issued the 2027 central government holiday calendar, detailing gazetted holidays and allowing employees to choose two restricted holidays from regional festivals.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-issues-2027-central-government-holiday-calendar

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Cite as: India holiday and school calendar announcements. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/india-holiday-calendar-announcements