Public holidays in India

States generally adopt the same holidays as the union government with some variations. In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays, as well as observances proclaimed by officials populate the calendar. At the discretion of the employer, other holidays are common additions to the list of paid holidays.

People celebrating Holi in Delhi.

Hindus celebrate several Indian festivals through the year. Hindu festivals have one or more religious, cultural, and seasonal significance. The observance of the festival, the symbolisms used and attached, and the style and intensity of celebration vary from region to region within the country. A list of the more popular festivals is given below.

The Masi Procession to Swamithope Pathi during Ayya Vaikunda Avatar

Several Sikh holidays are Gurpurbs, anniversaries of a guru's birth or death; marked by the holding of a festival.

The Shahenshahi and Kadmi variants of the Zoroastrian calendar do not intercalate leap years and hence the day of the Gregorian calendar year on which these days are celebrated shifts ahead with time. The third variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, known as either Fasli (in India) or Bastani (in Iran), intercalates according to Gregorian calendar rules and thus remains synchronous with the seasons. The Parsis in India use a Shahenshahi calendar, unlike the Iranian Zoroastrians who use a Kadmi calendar. The North American and European Parsis have adapted their version of the Fasli calendar. This is, however, is looked down upon by many of the Parsis, who continue to use the Shahenshai calendar. These differences cause changes in the dates of the holidays. For example, the Zoroastrian New Year, Nowruz, falls in the spring for the Iranians but in the summer for the Parsis.

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) on behalf of the Government of India issues a list of holidays to be observed in central government offices during the year. The list is divided into two parts i.e. Annexure I & Annexure II.

Annexure I, also known as Gazetted holidays, consists of a list of holidays that are mandatory once decided.[11] This list consists of two parts:

• Paragraph 2
• Paragraph 3.1

It consists of holidays that are observed compulsorily across India.[11] These holidays are:

1. Republic Day
2. Independence Day
3. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
4. Buddha Purnima
5. Christmas Day
6. Dussehra
7. Diwali (Deepavali)
8. Bandi Chor Diwas
9. Guru Nanak's Gurpurab/
10. Vaisakhi
11. Eid ul-Fitr
12. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
13. Muharram
14. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (Id-e-Milad)

In addition to the 14 compulsory holidays mentioned in paragraph 2, three holidays are chosen from the list below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the respective state capitals (if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State). The final list is applied uniformly across all Central Government offices within each state. They are notified after seeking the prior approval of the ministry, and no changes can be made after that. No change is permissible regarding festivals and dates.[11]

1. Republic day
2. An additional day for Dussehra
3. Holi
4. Janamashtami (Vaishanvi)/Krishnashtami
5. Rama Navami
6. Maha Sivarathri
7. Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi
8. Makar Sankranti/Sankranthi
9. Onam
10. Sri Panchami/Basanta Panchami
11. Vishu/Vaisakhi/Vaisakhadi/Bhag Bihu/Mashadi/Ugadi/Chaitra Sakladi/Cheti Chand/Gudhi Pada 1st Navratra/Nauraj

Annexure II also known as Restricted holidays, consists of a list of optional holidays. Each employee is allowed to choose any two holidays from the list of Restricted Holidays. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals draw up a separate list of Restricted Holidays, keeping in mind the occasions of local importance, but the nine occasions left over, after choosing the three variable holidays in paragraph 3.1, are included in the list of restricted holidays.[11]

Central Government Organisations, which include industrial, commercial, and trading establishments, observe up to 16 holidays per year, including three national holidays, viz. Republic Day, Independence Day, and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays/occasions may be determined by such establishmentsorganizationss themselves, subject to paragraph 3.2.[11]

Union territory administrations decide the list of holidays based on Ministry of Home Affairs letter No.14046/27 /83- GP-I dated 15 February 1984, by which they observe a total of 16 holidays, including the three National Holidays, viz. Republic Day, Independence Day, and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.[11]

In respect of Indian missions abroad, the number of holidays is determined in accordance with the instructions contained in the Department of Personnel and Training's O.M. No.12/5/2002-JCA dated 17 December 2002. They have the option to select 11 (eleven) holidays of their own only after including the three National Holidays and Diwali, Milad-Un-Nabi or Id-E-Milad, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Eid-ul-Fitr, Dussehra (Vijaya Dasami), Guru Nanak's Birthday, Christmas Day as compulsory holidays falling on weekdays.[11]

With respect to banks, the holidays are restricted to 15 days per year in terms of the instructions issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (Banking Division).[11]

1. Bank Holiday
2. Gandhi Jayanti
3. Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
4. Maharaja Agresen Jayanti
5. Kashiram Death Anniversary
6. Dusshera (Maha Navaratri, Durgotsava, Durga Ashtami, Durga Ashtami)
7. Vaisakhi
8. Bandi Chor Diwas
9. Bhai Duj/Chitragupt Jayanti
10. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
11. Guru Nanak's Gurpurab
12. Dr. B R. Ambedkar's Nirwan Diwas
13. Moharram
14. New Year's Day (14 March)
15. International Women's Day
16. Gudhi Padwa
17. Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab
18. Sankaranti
19. Basanta Panchami
20. Guru Ravidas Gurpurab
21. Chehalum
22. Holi
23. Janmashtami
24. Vishwakarma Pooja
25. Eid ul Fitr
26. Ganesh Chaturthi
27. Anant chaturdasi
28. Maharshi Balmiki Jayanti
29. Deepavali (Narak Chaturdasi)
30. Eid Meelad
31. Guru Teg Bahadur Shahid Diwas
32. Second and Fourth Saturday of Every Month
33. All Saturdays of the month in the IT sector