Centre drops 2026 holiday list for government offices
The Indian government just rolled out its official 2026 holiday calendar for all Central government offices.
There are 14 nationwide mandatory holidays—think Republic Day, Independence Day, Diwali, and Christmas—plus a mix of optional days you can pick based on where you work.
Your location decides your extra days off
If you're working in Delhi, you get to choose two restricted holidays from a set list (like Basant Panchami or Raksha Bandhan).
For those outside Delhi, it's three optional picks from a list finalized by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in each state capital, such as Holi, Janmashtami, or Ganesh Chaturthi.
Big dates like Good Friday and Buddha Purnima are fixed everywhere, but Islamic festival dates will depend on moon sightings.
States also have some flexibility to tweak options for local festivals.
Why does this matter?
If you're planning trips or just want to know when those long weekends hit in 2026, this calendar is your go-to guide.
Plus, it shows how the system tries to balance national unity with local traditions—something that keeps things interesting year after year.