Bank Holidays in India 2026 | NSE & RBI Approved Holidays List

What Are Bank Holidays in India?

Bank holidays in India are officially declared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. On these days, all scheduled and non-scheduled bank branches remain closed for counter services — but digital channels like UPI, NEFT, RTGS, ATMs, and mobile banking continue to operate around the clock.

India observes three types of bank closures: National Holidays (uniform across all states), State/Regional Holidays (applicable only in specific states based on local festivals), and Weekend Closures — all Sundays plus the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month as mandated by RBI.

National holidays (3)

Republic Day (Jan 26), Independence Day (Aug 15), Gandhi Jayanti (Oct 2) — all branches, all states, no exceptions.

Festival / regional holidays

Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Onam in Kerala — each state follows its own NI Act holiday list.

2nd & 4th Saturdays

All banks shut nationwide by RBI mandate. A 5th Saturday in any month is a normal working day.

April 1 — bank closing

Annual account closing day. Most branches remain shut for year-end reconciliation and financial statements.

Complete Bank Holiday List 2026 — Searchable & Filterable

Important: Festival dates for Eid-ul-Fitr, Bakrid, and Muharram are tentative and subject to moon sighting. Dates may shift by ±1 day. Always verify with your local branch or rbi.org.in for confirmed state-specific dates.

Date	Day	Holiday / Occasion	States / Coverage	Type

Key Periods to Plan Your Banking Around in 2026

March–April is the most complex banking window of the year. Holi (March 2–4), Ram Navami (March 26–27), Mahavir Jayanti (March 31), Banks' Annual Closing (April 1), Good Friday (April 3), and Ambedkar Jayanti/Baisakhi (April 14–16) create a near-continuous stretch of full or partial closures. Plan loan disbursements, cheque clearances, and demand drafts well in advance.

October–November brings the festive surge — Dussehra, Durga Puja, Diwali, and Guru Nanak Jayanti cluster together into the peak holiday window for branches in North and East India. Independence Day (August 15) falls on a Saturday in 2026, creating a combined national holiday and 3rd Saturday closure — note that the 3rd Saturday is not a mandatory closure, but as a national holiday banks will be shut regardless.

What Works and What Doesn't on Bank Holidays?

Available 24x7 on holidays

UPI payments, IMPS, ATM cash withdrawals, mobile banking, internet banking, and online fund transfers remain fully operational.

Not available on holidays

Branch counter services, cheque clearance, demand drafts, safe deposit locker access, and in-person KYC or account opening.

NEFT & RTGS

NEFT operates 24x7 electronically since December 2019. RTGS settlement windows may vary on declared holidays — check your bank app.

Cheque processing

Cheques deposited on a holiday are processed the next working day. Post-dated cheques are deferred to the next business day.

2nd and 4th Saturday Closures 2026 — Quick Reference

January

Jan 10 (2nd) · Jan 24 (4th)

February

Feb 14 (2nd) · Feb 28 (4th)

March

Mar 14 (2nd) · Mar 28 (4th)

April

Apr 11 (2nd) · Apr 25 (4th)

May

May 9 (2nd) · May 23 (4th)

June

Jun 13 (2nd) · Jun 27 (4th)

July

Jul 11 (2nd) · Jul 25 (4th)

August

Aug 8 (2nd) · Aug 15 = Independence Day · Aug 22 (4th)

September

Sep 12 (2nd) · Sep 26 (4th)

October

Oct 10 (2nd) · Oct 24 (4th)

November

Nov 14 (2nd) · Nov 28 (4th)

December

Dec 12 (2nd) · Dec 26 (4th)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bank holidays the same across all Indian states?

No. Only the three national holidays — Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti — apply uniformly to every bank branch. All other closures are state-specific, based on the RBI's city-wise/state-wise NI Act holiday matrix. A closure in Chennai on Pongal does not mean banks are shut in Delhi on that day.

Is April 1 always a bank holiday?

Yes. April 1 is the Banks' Annual Closing of Accounts day, observed across most states regardless of the day of the week. Banks use this day for year-end financial reconciliation and preparation of balance sheets. In 2026, it falls on a Wednesday.

Do private banks follow the same holiday list as PSU banks?

Yes. All scheduled banks — public sector (SBI, PNB, BOB), private sector (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak), cooperative banks, and small finance banks — must follow the RBI-notified holiday list for their respective states. The 2nd and 4th Saturday rule is universal.

Will my EMI auto-debit be affected on a bank holiday?

If your EMI due date falls on a declared bank holiday, most banks process the debit on the next working day. However, NACH auto-debit mandates may attempt on the holiday date and fail. Best practice: maintain sufficient balance at least a day before the due date, especially during long festive holiday stretches.

Are Islamic festival holiday dates confirmed?

Dates for Eid-ul-Fitr, Bakrid (Eid-ul-Zuha), and Muharram are tentative — based on the Islamic lunar calendar and confirmed only after moon sighting. Dates listed here are best estimates and may shift by one day. State governments issue confirmed notifications typically 1–2 days before the festival.

Where is the official RBI bank holiday list?

The official source is the RBI Holiday Matrix at rbi.org.in. Select your state/city and year 2026 to get the legally binding list of holidays for bank branches in that location. State government gazette notifications are the secondary authority for regional holidays.

Do stock markets close on the same days as banks?

Not always. BSE and NSE have their own holiday circular, which overlaps partially with bank holidays but is not identical. In 2026, stock markets are closed for approximately 14–15 days. Some bank holidays are not market holidays and vice versa. Always check the NSE/BSE holiday circular separately for trading decisions.