SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has finalised the holiday calendar for Central Government establishments for 2027, laying down the framework for gazetted and restricted holidays across the country.
The schedule has been issued through Office Memorandum No. 12/2/2023-JCA dated July 16, 2026 by the Personnel Policy Section of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), GPOA-3, Netaji Nagar, New Delhi, and is signed by Director Amit Pankaj.
Under the memorandum, Central Government offices in Delhi and New Delhi will observe a prescribed list of compulsory holidays, while employees will also be permitted to choose any two holidays from the restricted holiday list. For Central Government offices outside the national capital, the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in each state capital will prepare a common holiday list.
The order states that offices outside Delhi must compulsorily observe Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Buddha Purnima, Dussehra (Vijaya Dashmi), Guru Nanak’s Birthday, Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Mahavir Jayanti, Muharram and Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday (Id-e-Milad). In addition, they must select three holidays from a list of 12 regional festivals, including an additional day of Dussehra, Holi, Janamashtami (Vaishnav), Ram Navami, Maha Shivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi, Makar Sankranti, Rath Yatra, Onam, Pongal, Sri Panchami/Basant Panchami, and a combined category comprising Vishu, Vaisakhi, Vaisakhadi, Bahag Bihu, Meshadi, Ugadi, Chaitra Sukladi, Cheti Chand, Gudi Padava, 1st Navratra, Naoraz, Chhath Pooja and Karva Chauth. The remaining nine festivals not selected must be included in the restricted holiday list for the respective state.
The memorandum clarifies that no substitute holiday will be granted if a notified holiday falls on a weekly off or another holiday, or where multiple festivals coincide on the same day. For festivals dependent on moon sightings, including Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad, the Ministry of Personnel will issue revised dates for Delhi after verification with local authorities. Outside Delhi, the respective Welfare Coordination Committees may revise the dates in accordance with decisions of the concerned state or Union Territory government, with changes to be publicised through the Press Information Bureau, television, radio or newspapers.
The circular also contains a special provision for Diwali, which falls on Friday, October 29, 2027. It states that if a state government declares Naraka Chaturdasi instead of Deepavali as the main holiday, Central Government offices in that state may follow the same arrangement.
Separate provisions have been made for different categories of establishments. Industrial, commercial and trading establishments under the Central Government may fix their own holiday schedule up to a maximum of 16 holidays, although Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday will remain compulsory. Union Territory administrations will follow separate instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, while banks will continue to be governed by the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance. Indian Missions abroad may choose 10 optional holidays, provided they observe Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday (Id-e-Milad), Dussehra (Vijaya Dashmi), Guru Nanak’s Birthday and Christmas Day as compulsory holidays whenever these do not coincide with weekly offs.
For Delhi and New Delhi offices, the compulsory holiday list comprises 17 holidays spread across Saka Eras 1948 and 1949. These include Republic Day on 26 January, Id-ul-Fitr on March 10, Holi on March 23, Good Friday on March 26, Ram Navami on 15 April, Mahavir Jayanti on April 19, Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) on 17 May, Independence Day and Milad-un-Nabi/Id-e-Milad on August 15, Janmashtami (Vaishnav) on August 25, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday on October 2, Dussehra on October 9, Diwali on October 29, Guru Nanak’s Birthday on November 14 and Christmas Day on December 25.
The restricted holiday list for Delhi includes New Year’s Day, Makar Sankranti/Magha Bihu, Pongal, Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday, Sri Panchami/Basant Panchami, Shiva Ji Jayanti, Guru Ravi Das’s Birthday, Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s Birthday, Holika Dahan/Dolyatra, Easter Sunday, Chaitra Sukladi/Gudi Padava/Ugadi/Cheti Chand/1st Navratra, Vaisakhi/Vishu/Meshadi (Tamil New Year’s Day), Vaisakhadi (Bengal)/Bahag Bihu (Assam), Guru Rabindranath Tagore’s Birthday, Rath Yatra, Parsi New Year’s Day/Navroz, Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi/Vinayak Chaturthi, Onam (Thiru Onam Day), Dussehra (Saptami), Dussehra (Mahashtami), Dussehra (Mahanavmi), Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday, Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chauth), Naraka Chaturdasi, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Duj, Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day, Hazarat Ali’s Birthday and Christmas Eve.
The Ministry said a Hindi version of the Office Memorandum will be circulated separately to Union ministries, legislative bodies, judicial departments and Chief Secretaries of states and Union Territories.
