The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel & Training) has released the official list of holidays for Central Government offices for the calendar year 2026. The notification details compulsory, optional, and restricted holidays for offices in Delhi/New Delhi and other parts of India.
📌 1. Holidays for Central Government Offices in Delhi/New Delhi
These offices will observe 17 compulsory holidays in 2026:
📅 Annexure-I: Compulsory Holidays – Delhi/New Delhi
| S.No | Holiday | Date | Day |
| 1 | Republic Day | Jan 26 | Monday |
| 2 | Holi | Mar 4 | Wednesday |
| 3 | Id-ul-Fitr | Mar 21 | Saturday |
| 4 | Ram Navami | Mar 26 | Thursday |
| 5 | Mahavir Jayanti | Mar 31 | Tuesday |
| 6 | Good Friday | Apr 3 | Friday |
| 7 | Buddha Purnima | May 1 | Friday |
| 8 | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | May 27 | Wednesday |
| 9 | Muharram | Jun 26 | Friday |
| 10 | Independence Day | Aug 15 | Saturday |
| 11 | Id-e-Milad (Prophet’s Birthday) | Aug 26 | Wednesday |
| 12 | Janmashtami (Vaishnava) | Sep 4 | Friday |
| 13 | Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday | Oct 2 | Friday |
| 14 | Dussehra (Vijay Dashmi) | Oct 20 | Tuesday |
| 15 | Diwali (Deepavali) | Nov 8 | Sunday |
| 16 | Guru Nanak’s Birthday | Nov 24 | Tuesday |
| 17 | Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Friday |
✨ 2. Restricted Holidays – Employees May Choose Any Two
Central Govt employees in Delhi can choose any two from the following 34 Restricted Holidays:
📋 Annexure-II: Restricted Holidays – Delhi/New Delhi
| S.No | Holiday | Date | Day |
| 1 | New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Thursday |
| 2 | Hazrat Ali’s Birthday | Jan 3 | Saturday |
| 3 | Makar Sankranti | Jan 14 | Wednesday |
| 4 | Pongal / Magha Bihu | Jan 14 | Wednesday |
| 5 | Sri Panchami / Basant Panchami | Jan 23 | Friday |
| 6 | Guru Ravidas’s Birthday | Feb 1 | Sunday |
| 7 | Swami Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti | Feb 12 | Thursday |
| 8 | Maha Shivratri | Feb 15 | Sunday |
| 9 | Shivaji Jayanti | Feb 19 | Thursday |
| 10 | Holika Dahan | Mar 3 | Tuesday |
| 11 | Dolyatra | Mar 3 | Tuesday |
| 12 | Gudi Padava / Ugadi / Cheti Chand | Mar 19 | Thursday |
| 13 | Jamat-ul-Vida | Mar 20 | Friday |
| 14 | Easter Sunday | Apr 5 | Sunday |
| 15 | Vaisakhi / Vishu / Meshadi | Apr 14 | Tuesday |
| 16 | Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu | Apr 15 | Wednesday |
| 17 | Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti | May 10 | Saturday |
| 18 | Rath Yatra | Jul 16 | Thursday |
| 19 | Parsi New Year (Nauraj) | Aug 15 | Saturday |
| 20 | Onam / Thiru Onam | Aug 26 | Wednesday |
| 21 | Raksha Bandhan | Aug 28 | Friday |
| 22 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Sep 14 | Monday |
| 23 | Dussehra (Saptami) | Oct 18 | Sunday |
| 24 | Dussehra (Mahashtami) | Oct 19 | Monday |
| 25 | Dussehra (Mahanavami) | Oct 20 | Tuesday |
| 26 | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | Oct 26 | Monday |
| 27 | Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chauth) | Oct 29 | Thursday |
| 28 | Naraka Chaturdasi | Nov 8 | Sunday |
| 29 | Govardhan Puja | Nov 9 | Monday |
| 30 | Bhai Duj | Nov 11 | Wednesday |
| 31 | Chhath Puja (Surya Shashthi) | Nov 15 | Sunday |
| 32 | Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day | Nov 24 | Tuesday |
| 33 | Hazrat Ali’s Birthday (Second Mention) | Dec 23 | Wednesday |
| 34 | Christmas Eve | Dec 24 | Thursday |
🌍 3. Guidelines for Offices Outside Delhi/New Delhi
✅ 14 Compulsory Holidays
All Central Govt offices must observe the following 14 holidays:
- Republic Day
- Independence Day
- Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
- Buddha Purnima
- Christmas
- Dussehra
- Diwali
- Good Friday
- Guru Nanak’s Birthday
- Id-ul-Fitr
- Id-ul-Zuha
- Mahavir Jayanti
- Muharram
- Id-e-Milad
🟡 +3 Optional Holidays
Each State’s Coordination Committee will select 3 additional holidays from a list of 12 options, such as:
- Holi
- Maha Shivratri
- Janmashtami
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Onam
- Pongal
- Rath Yatra
- Makar Sankranti
…and others of local importance.
🌙 4. Moon-Dependent Holidays
Holidays like Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, and Id-e-Milad are subject to moon sighting. Changes, if any, will be:
- In Delhi: Declared by the DoPT based on input from Delhi Police (Special Branch).
- Outside Delhi: Declared by State Coordination Committees following the respective State Government decision.
In urgent cases, announcements may be made through TV, Radio, PIB, or Newspapers, and official action may be taken without waiting for a formal order.
🪔 5. Special Note on Diwali 2026
- Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
- In States where Naraka Chaturdasi (Nov 8) is observed instead of main Diwali, holiday can be shifted accordingly, if State Govt declares it as such.
🏢 6. Other Guidelines
- Industrial/commercial/trading govt establishments may observe up to 16 holidays, including the 3 national ones.
- Indian Missions abroad can choose 12 holidays (after including Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Id-ul-Fitr, and Diwali).
- Bank holidays are governed by Department of Financial Services, not this list.
- Union Territories will issue holiday lists as per instructions from Ministry of Home