The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) just released the official holiday calendar for 2026 for all Central Government offices across India. The thing is, this list is split into two major categories: mandatory Gazetted Holidays that every office must observe, and Restricted Holidays that employees can choose from.
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Mandatory Gazetted Holidays (Must Observe)
These are the core national, religious, and cultural days that all Central Government offices across India must be closed for.3 The list reflects India’s diversity.
| Mandatory Holiday | Compulsory for All Central Govt. Offices |
| National Observances | Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday |
| Major Festivals | Christmas Day, Dussehra (Vijay Dashami), Diwali (Deepavali) |
| Religious Days | Good Friday, Guru Nanak’s Birthday, Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Purnima |
| Islamic Festivals | Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Id-e-Milad) |
The catch with the Islamic holidays—Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, and Id-e-Milad—is that their dates may shift based on the sighting of the moon.And then the government follows up with a separate notification closer to the time.
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Optional Restricted Holidays (Employees Choose Two)
Apart from the mandatory list, the Central Government gives employees flexibility.7 Each employee is allowed to choose any two holidays from a longer list of Restricted Holidays (RHs).8 This helps people observe local traditions, which is super useful.
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Major Optional Holidays include: Holi, Janmashtami, Ram Navami, Maha Shivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Rath Yatra, Karwa Chauth, and Chhath Puja.
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Regional Flexibility: Offices outside of Delhi/New Delhi can adjust this list.11 State-level coordination committees can change the dates based on state or regional customs.12 For example, if a State Government declares a holiday on Naraka Chaturdashi (the day before the main Diwali, which falls on a Sunday, November 8, 2026), the Central Government offices in that state will follow suit.
Key Gazetted Holidays in Delhi/New Delhi (The Dates)
The standard list for the national capital region is the benchmark. A few key dates are:
| Holiday | Date | Day |
| Republic Day | January 26 | Monday |
| Holi | March 4 | Wednesday |
| Good Friday | April 3 | Friday |
| Dussehra | October 20 | Tuesday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday |
Also Read | Residence Certificate: Uses, Benefits, and How to Apply in India.
