UP Govt Holiday Calendar 2026 – Complete List of Holidays from 14 September Onward
Check the complete UP Govt Holiday Calendar 2026 from 14 September onward. Full list of gazetted and restricted holidays declared by the UP Secretariat, with dates, days, and details of every festival.
The Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Department (Section-3) has released the official Uttar Pradesh Government Holiday Calendar for 2026, listing all the gazetted (compulsory) and restricted (optional) holidays applicable to UP Secretariat offices for the year corresponding to Shaka Samvat 1947-1948 and Vikram Samvat 2082-2083. This calendar is followed not just by the state secretariat but is also used as a reference by most UP government departments, boards, corporations, and educational institutions while planning their own annual holiday schedules.
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Since today is 14 September 2026, this article covers every festival, observance, and public holiday listed in the official calendar from 14 September 2026 to 31 December 2026, so that government employees, students, bank customers, and job aspirants preparing for competitive exams can plan their schedules, leave applications, and exam preparation calendars accordingly.
Before going festival by festival, here is a quick overview of what the rest of 2026 looks like in terms of holidays.
UP Govt Holiday Calendar 2026 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Calendar Issued By | Uttar Pradesh Secretariat, Administration Section-3 (Sthapna) |
| Applicable Year | 2026 (Shaka Samvat 1947–1948, Vikram Samvat 2082–2083) |
| Applicable To | UP Secretariat, Government Departments, Boards & Institutions |
| Total Gazetted Holidays (Full Year) | 25 |
| Total Restricted Holidays (Full Year) | 30 |
| Coverage in This Article | Holidays from 14 September 2026 to 31 December 2026 |
| Categories Covered | Gazetted (Public) Holidays and Restricted (Optional) Holidays |
Gazetted (Public) Holidays – 14 September to 31 December 2026
Gazetted holidays are compulsory holidays on which all UP Government offices, most schools, and banks remain closed. Here is the list of gazetted holidays remaining in 2026 from today onward.
| Festival/Occasion | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | 02 October 2026 | Friday |
| Dussehra (Maha Navami/Vijayadashami) | 20 October 2026 | Tuesday |
| Diwali (Deepavali) | 08 November 2026 | Sunday |
| Govardhan Puja | 09 November 2026 | Monday |
| Bhai Dooj/Chitragupta Jayanti | 11 November 2026 | Wednesday |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti/Kartik Purnima | 24 November 2026 | Tuesday |
| Christmas Day | 25 December 2026 | Friday |
Restricted (Optional) Holidays – 14 September to 31 December 2026
Restricted holidays are optional. UP Government employees can generally avail only two restricted holidays of their choice from the entire year’s list, subject to departmental approval. Here is the verified list applicable for the remaining part of 2026.
| Festival/Occasion | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Vishwakarma Puja | 17 September 2026 | Thursday |
| Anant Chaturdashi | 25 September 2026 | Friday |
| Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti | 11 October 2026 | Sunday |
| Dussehra (Maha Ashtami) | 19 October 2026 | Monday |
| Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | 26 October 2026 | Monday |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti/Acharya Narendra Dev Jayanti | 31 October 2026 | Saturday |
| Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali) | 08 November 2026 | Sunday |
| Chhath Puja | 15 November 2026 | Sunday |
| Veerangana Uda Devi Shahid Diwas | 16 November 2026 | Monday |
| Guru Tegh Bahadur Shaheedi Diwas | 24 November 2026 | Tuesday |
| Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri (Garib Nawaz) Urs | 16 December 2026 | Wednesday |
| Chaudhary Charan Singh Jayanti | 23 December 2026 | Wednesday |
| Christmas Eve | 24 December 2026 | Thursday |
Now let’s look at each of these festivals and observances in detail, in the order they actually fall through the rest of the year.
Vishwakarma Puja – 17 September 2026 (Thursday)
Vishwakarma Puja is the very first holiday coming up right after today’s date, and it holds special importance for people working in factories, workshops, and industrial units across Uttar Pradesh. Lord Vishwakarma is worshipped as the divine architect and engineer of the universe, and on this day, workers, artisans, and machine operators clean and decorate their tools, machines, and equipment before offering prayers for safety and prosperity in their work. Many factories and small industrial units in UP’s industrial belts, including Kanpur, Noida, and Ghaziabad, observe this day, even though it is only a restricted (optional) holiday and not a compulsory closure for every department.
Anant Chaturdashi – 25 September 2026 (Friday)
Anant Chaturdashi marks the final day of the ten-day Ganesh Utsav celebrations and is observed with the traditional visarjan (immersion) of Lord Ganesha idols. While Uttar Pradesh does not see Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on the scale seen in Maharashtra, several urban pockets, particularly areas with a strong Marathi or Gujarati community presence, do organise processions and immersion ceremonies. It is listed as a restricted holiday, giving employees who observe this festival the option to take the day off.
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti – 02 October 2026 (Friday)
Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday observed across the entire country, not just Uttar Pradesh, in honour of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. All government offices, banks, schools, and most private institutions remain closed on this day. Since 2 October 2026 falls on a Friday, employees effectively get a long weekend, and many people use the opportunity to travel or spend time with family. The day is also marked with prayer meetings, tributes at Gandhi statues, and cleanliness drives under the Swachh Bharat initiative.
Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti – 11 October 2026 (Sunday)
Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of Maharaja Agrasen, a legendary king remembered for his contribution to trade, equality, and social welfare, and considered the founding figure of the Agrawal community. The day is particularly significant for the trading and business community in Uttar Pradesh, with processions, blood donation camps, and community events organised in cities with a large Agrawal population. As this falls on a Sunday this year, it coincides with the weekly off for most government offices.
Dussehra – Maha Ashtami and Vijayadashami – 19–20 October 2026 (Monday–Tuesday)
Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in Uttar Pradesh, marking the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and, symbolically, the triumph of good over evil. This year’s calendar lists Maha Ashtami on 19 October (Monday) as a restricted holiday, while the main Vijayadashami/Dussehra day on 20 October (Tuesday) is a full gazetted holiday. This means government offices will be compulsorily closed on 20 October, while employees who also want 19 October off can use one of their restricted holidays for it. In cities like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kanpur, and Lucknow, massive Ramlila performances and Ravana effigy burnings are organised, drawing huge crowds every year.
Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti – 26 October 2026 (Monday)
Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebrates the birth anniversary of Sage Valmiki, revered as the author of the epic Ramayana and honoured as the Adi Kavi (first poet) of Sanskrit literature. The Valmiki community across Uttar Pradesh observes this day with processions, kirtans, and readings from the Ramayana, and it holds deep social and cultural significance, especially in cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Agra where community events are organised at Valmiki temples. It is listed as a restricted holiday this year.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti / Acharya Narendra Dev Jayanti – 31 October 2026 (Saturday)
This date honours two important figures on the same day. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, remembered as the “Iron Man of India,” played a crucial role in unifying the princely states after independence, and his birth anniversary is observed nationally as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), often marked with the “Run for Unity” event in various UP cities. The same date also marks the birth anniversary of Acharya Narendra Dev, a notable educationist, socialist leader, and the first Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow University, after whom several UP institutions are named. Since 31 October falls on a Saturday this year, it naturally overlaps with the weekend for many offices.
Diwali / Deepavali and Narak Chaturdashi – 08 November 2026 (Sunday)
Diwali, the festival of lights, is arguably the biggest festival of the year in Uttar Pradesh and across most of India. It celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and his victory over Ravana, and is marked by the lighting of diyas, bursting of crackers, Lakshmi-Ganesh puja, and family gatherings. Ayodhya, being the birthplace of Lord Rama, hosts one of the most spectacular Deepotsav celebrations in the country every year, with lakhs of diyas lit along the banks of the Saryu river, drawing visitors from across the state and country. This year, according to the tithi calculations followed by the UP Secretariat calendar, Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali) — which commemorates Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura and is normally observed a day before the main Diwali — falls on the very same date as Diwali itself, 8 November, and is listed separately as a restricted holiday even though the main Diwali gazetted holiday covers the same day. Since Diwali falls on a Sunday this year, it does not add an extra day off for most weekly-off employees, though many offices additionally grant leave a day before or after depending on local practice.
Govardhan Puja – 09 November 2026 (Monday)
The day after Diwali is celebrated as Govardhan Puja, commemorating the day Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill to protect the residents of Vrindavan from torrential rains sent by Lord Indra. In rural Uttar Pradesh, especially in the Braj region around Mathura and Vrindavan, cow dung hillocks representing the Govardhan mountain are built and worshipped, and cattle are decorated and honoured as a mark of gratitude for their role in agrarian life. This is a gazetted holiday, so government offices remain closed.
Bhai Dooj / Chitragupta Jayanti – 11 November 2026 (Wednesday)
Bhai Dooj marks the conclusion of the five-day Diwali festivities and celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, with sisters performing an aarti and applying tilak on their brothers’ foreheads, praying for their long life. The same date is also observed as Chitragupta Jayanti by the Kayastha community, honouring Lord Chitragupta, believed to be the divine record-keeper of deeds, and is especially significant for those in clerical, administrative, and government service professions. Being a gazetted holiday, all UP government offices stay closed on this day.
Chhath Puja – 15 November 2026 (Sunday)
Chhath Puja is a major festival for people of Purvanchal and Bihari origin settled across Uttar Pradesh, particularly in districts bordering Bihar and in cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Ghaziabad, which have a significant Purvanchali population. The festival involves fasting, standing in water bodies, and offering arghya (prayers) to the setting and rising sun over two consecutive days, and is considered one of the most rigorous and devotion-intensive festivals in the Hindu calendar. Since it falls on a Sunday and is listed as a restricted holiday, government employees wishing to travel to their hometowns for Chhath often plan their two annual restricted holidays around this period.
Veerangana Uda Devi Shahid Diwas – 16 November 2026 (Monday)
This day commemorates the martyrdom of Veerangana Uda Devi, a Dalit woman freedom fighter from Awadh who fought valiantly against the British during the 1857 revolt in the Battle of Sikandar Bagh in Lucknow. She is remembered as a symbol of courage among Dalit and women freedom fighters of India, and the day is observed with tributes at her memorial in Lucknow. It is included as a restricted holiday in this year’s calendar.
Guru Nanak Jayanti / Kartik Purnima – 24 November 2026 (Tuesday)
This date is celebrated as Guru Nanak Jayanti, marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, and is one of the most important festivals for the Sikh community. It coincides with Kartik Purnima, considered an auspicious full moon day in the Hindu calendar, associated with rituals like holy dips in rivers, particularly the Ganga, at places like Varanasi. Since this falls under the gazetted holiday list, all UP government offices remain closed on this day.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Shaheedi Diwas – 24 November 2026 (Tuesday)
The same date also honours the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who sacrificed his life in defence of religious freedom and human rights. Sikh communities across Uttar Pradesh, including in Lucknow, Kanpur, and other cities with active gurdwaras, hold special prayer services and langars (community meals) to mark the occasion. It is listed as a restricted holiday, separate from the gazetted Guru Nanak Jayanti holiday that falls on the same day.
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri (Garib Nawaz) Urs – 16 December 2026 (Wednesday)
This day marks the Urs (death anniversary observance) of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, popularly known as Garib Nawaz, the revered Sufi saint whose dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan, attracts devotees from across religions every year. Many Muslim families and devotees of the Chishty order in Uttar Pradesh observe this day with prayers and visits to local dargahs, and it is listed as a restricted holiday.
Chaudhary Charan Singh Jayanti – 23 December 2026 (Wednesday)
This day marks the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India and a towering leader from Uttar Pradesh, widely remembered as a champion of farmers’ rights and rural development. He also served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and his birth anniversary is observed nationally as Kisan Diwas (Farmers’ Day), with the UP government organising programmes and tributes to honour his contribution to agrarian policy. It is a restricted holiday.
Christmas Eve – 24 December 2026 (Thursday)
This date is observed informally as Christmas Eve by the Christian community, ahead of the main Christmas Day celebrations, and is listed as a restricted holiday, allowing Christian employees the flexibility to prepare for midnight mass and family celebrations.
Christmas Day – 25 December 2026 (Friday)
Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, is observed as a gazetted public holiday across the country, and Uttar Pradesh is no exception. Churches in cities like Lucknow, Allahabad (Prayagraj), and Kanpur hold special services, and the day is widely celebrated with festive decorations, family gatherings, and community events, regardless of religious background, given its status as a broader cultural celebration in urban India as well.
Important Points to Note About the UP Holiday Calendar 2026
- Restricted holidays are optional and limited: As per the notification, employees are generally permitted to avail only two restricted holidays of their choice out of the entire year’s list, and this needs approval from the concerned department/office head.
- Two festivals often share the same date: Notice how Dussehra’s Maha Ashtami and Vijayadashami fall on consecutive days (19–20 October), Diwali and Narak Chaturdashi coincide on the same date (8 November) this year, and Guru Nanak Jayanti and Guru Tegh Bahadur Shaheedi Diwas both fall on 24 November — one as gazetted, one as restricted. Always check both lists together for any given date.
- Lunar festivals may shift slightly: Many of the Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh festivals listed above are based on lunar or regional calendars (Vikram Samvat, Hijri, etc.), and the exact date may be adjusted by a day depending on local moon-sighting or panchang variations, particularly for Islamic festivals which are marked with an asterisk in the official notification.
- Bank holidays may differ slightly: While most gazetted holidays apply to banks as well, banks also follow the RBI’s separate holiday list, which may include additional state-specific or regional holidays not listed in the Secretariat calendar.
- Educational institutions may have separate calendars: Schools, colleges, and universities in Uttar Pradesh, including bodies like UP Board, CCSU, and other state universities, often issue their own academic calendars, which may not match exactly with the Secretariat’s holiday list, especially around festivals like Diwali and Chhath Puja, where extended breaks are common.
- Competitive exam aspirants should plan accordingly: Since several recruitment exams and admit card releases tend to avoid clustering around major festival periods like Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath Puja, aspirants preparing for exams should keep this calendar handy while planning their study schedule and expected exam windows.
UP Govt Holiday Calendar 2026 – Some Useful Links
| Important Link | Status |
|---|---|
| UP Government Official Website | Click Here |
| UP Secretariat Administration Department Calendar Download | Click Here |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many gazetted holidays are left in UP for 2026 after 14 September?
There are 7 gazetted holidays remaining in 2026 from 14 September onward: Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Christmas Day.
Is Chhath Puja a gazetted holiday in Uttar Pradesh?
No, according to the official calendar, Chhath Puja (15 November 2026) is listed as a restricted holiday, not a compulsory gazetted holiday.
How many restricted holidays can a UP government employee take?
As per standard practice under this calendar, employees can generally avail only two restricted holidays of their choice from the full list, subject to approval from their department.
When is Diwali in 2026 according to the UP holiday calendar?
Diwali (Deepavali) falls on 08 November 2026, a Sunday, and is listed as a gazetted holiday. Narak Chaturdashi falls on the same date this year, and is separately listed as a restricted holiday.
Is Dussehra a one-day or two-day holiday in UP for 2026?
The main Dussehra/Vijayadashami day, 20 October 2026 (Tuesday), is a gazetted holiday, while Maha Ashtami on 19 October 2026 (Monday) is listed separately as a restricted holiday.
When is the next long weekend in UP after 14 September 2026?
Gandhi Jayanti on 02 October 2026 falls on a Friday, giving government employees a long weekend from Friday to Sunday.
