As India steps into 2026, the Central Government’s official holiday calendar paints a vivid picture of the country’s cultural diversity, religious harmony and national milestones. Spread across the year, the list of Gazetted (mandatory) and Restricted (optional) holidays gives government employees a clear roadmap to plan work, travel and celebrations.
Gazetted Holidays 2026: Nation and Faith Take Centre Stage
The following table lists all Gazetted Central Government holidays 2026, which are mandatory holidays observed by all Central Government offices across India:
| Month | Date | Day | Holiday Name |
| January | 26 Jan | Monday | Republic Day |
| March | 4 Mar | Wednesday | Holi |
| March | 21 Mar | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr (Tentative) |
| March | 26 Mar | Thursday | Rama Navami |
| March | 31 Mar | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| April | 3 Apr | Friday | Good Friday |
| May | 1 May | Friday | Buddha Purnima |
| May | 27 May | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) (Tentative) |
| June | 26 Jun | Friday | Muharram (Tentative) |
| August | 15 Aug | Saturday | Independence Day |
| August | 26 Aug | Wednesday | Id-e-Milad (Tentative) |
| September | 4 Sep | Friday | Janmashtami |
| October | 2 Oct | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
| October | 20 Oct | Tuesday | Dussehra |
| November | 8 Nov | Sunday | Diwali (Deepavali) |
| November | 24 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| December | 25 Dec | Friday | Christmas Day |
Restricted Holidays 2026
Below is the list of Restricted (Optional) government holidays for Central Government employees in 2026:
| Month | Date | Day | Holiday Name |
| January | 1 Jan | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| January | 3 Jan | Saturday | Hazarat Ali’s Birthday |
| January | 14 Jan | Wednesday | Pongal / Makar Sankranti |
| January | 23 Jan | Friday | Vasant Panchami |
| February | 1 Feb | Sunday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti |
| February | 12 Feb | Thursday | Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti |
| February | 15 Feb | Sunday | Maha Shivaratri |
| February | 19 Feb | Thursday | Shivaji Jayanti |
| March | 3 Mar | Tuesday | Holika Dahan |
| March | 19 Mar | Thursday | Ugadi / Gudi Padwa |
| March | 20 Mar | Friday | Jumat-ul-Vida |
| April | 5 Apr | Sunday | Easter Sunday |
| April | 14 Apr | Tuesday | Vaisakhi / Mesadi |
| April | 15 Apr | Wednesday | Bahag Bihu |
| May | 9 May | Saturday | Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti |
| July | 16 Jul | Thursday | Rath Yatra |
| August | 26 Aug | Wednesday | Onam |
| August | 28 Aug | Friday | Raksha Bandhan |
| September | 14 Sep | Monday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| October | 18 Oct | Sunday | Maha Saptami |
| October | 19 Oct | Monday | Maha Ashtami |
| October | 26 Oct | Monday | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti |
| October | 29 Oct | Thursday | Karva Chauth |
| November | 9 Nov | Monday | Govardhan Puja |
| November | 11 Nov | Wednesday | Bhai Dooj |
| November | 15 Nov | Sunday | Chhath Puja |
| November | 24 Nov | Tuesday | Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day |
| December | 23 Dec | Wednesday | Hazarat Ali’s Birthday |
| December | 24 Dec | Thursday | Christmas Eve |
The Central Government of India’s official holiday list for 2026 is a must-have for all employees and departments under the national government. It spreads out gazetted and optional holidays throughout the year, making it easier to plan time off and work schedules.