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Bihar Holidays 2026 List Verified

Bihar Public, Government and Bank Holidays 2026

Check if today or tomorrow is a holiday in Bihar, plus the full 2026 list of government, public, restricted, bank, and school holidays for Patna and the whole state. 24 public holidays and 12 restricted holidays, updated for HR and payroll teams.

Source: Government of Bihar, General Administration Department (GAD). Live status updates daily. Last reviewed September 2026. Verify against the official gazette before payroll lock.

2026 At a Glance

24

Public

General

12

Restricted

Optional

3

National

All-India

25+

Bank

Key dates

Next public holiday

Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti

Friday, 02 Oct 2026 · in 24 days

Is today a holiday in Bihar?

Tuesday, 08 September 2026

No, it is a working day

Today is a regular working day across Bihar. The state government has not declared a public holiday on this date. Offices, banks, and schools follow normal hours.

Is tomorrow a holiday in Bihar?

Wednesday, 09 September 2026

No, it is a working day

Tomorrow is a regular working day across Bihar. The state government has not declared a public holiday on this date. Offices, banks, and schools follow normal hours.

This status checks the current date in India against the official Bihar 2026 calendar and refreshes daily. Weekly offs (Sundays, and second and fourth Saturdays) are not listed as public holidays.

Quick Read

Bihar notifies 24 general public holidays for 2026 through the GAD, including the 3 national days and state festivals such as Bihar Diwas, Chhath Puja, and Diwali. It also lists 12 restricted holidays tied to lunar calendars, and banks observe their own holiday set. Apply these by employee work location and your Shops and Establishments policy across Patna and the state.

Government & Public Holidays

List of Bihar Government Holidays 2026

24 general public and government holidays, grouped by month. National gazetted days are tagged. Source: Bihar GAD 2026 calendar.

Jan

January 2026

2 holidays
01 Jan New Year's Day Thursday Regional
26 Jan Republic Day Monday National
Mar

March 2026

6 holidays
03 Mar Holi (Holika Dahan) Tuesday Regional
04 Mar Holi (Dhulandi) Wednesday Regional
21 Mar Id-ul-Fitr Saturday Regional
22 Mar Bihar Diwas Sunday Regional
27 Mar Ram Navami Friday Regional
31 Mar Mahavir Jayanti Tuesday Regional
Apr

April 2026

2 holidays
03 Apr Good Friday Friday Regional
14 Apr Dr B R Ambedkar Jayanti Tuesday Regional
May

May 2026

2 holidays
01 May May Day & Buddha Purnima Friday Regional
28 May Bakrid (Id-ul-Zuha) Thursday Regional
Jun

June 2026

1 holiday
26 Jun Muharram Friday Regional
Aug

August 2026

2 holidays
15 Aug Independence Day Saturday National
26 Aug Eid Milad-un-Nabi Wednesday Regional
Sep

September 2026

1 holiday
04 Sep Krishna Janmashtami Friday Regional
Oct

October 2026

4 holidays
02 Oct Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti Friday National
18 Oct Durga Puja (Maha Ashtami) Sunday Regional
19 Oct Durga Puja (Maha Navami) Monday Regional
20 Oct Durga Puja (Vijaya Dashami) Tuesday Regional
Nov

November 2026

3 holidays
08 Nov Diwali Sunday Regional
15 Nov Chhath Puja Sunday Regional
16 Nov Chhath Puja (Parna) Monday Regional
Dec

December 2026

1 holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day Friday Regional

Holidays on lunar or Islamic calendars may shift by a day on moon sighting. Confirm against the official Bihar gazette before locking payroll.

Bank Holidays

Bank Holidays in Bihar 2026

Bihar bank holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, the same list the RBI follows. Banks also close every Sunday and on the second and fourth Saturday.

DateDayBank Holiday
01 Jan 2026ThursdayNew Year's Day
26 Jan 2026MondayRepublic Day
03 Mar 2026TuesdayHoli (Holika Dahan)
04 Mar 2026WednesdayHoli (Dhulandi)
21 Mar 2026SaturdayId-ul-Fitr
22 Mar 2026SundayBihar Diwas
27 Mar 2026FridayRam Navami
31 Mar 2026TuesdayMahavir Jayanti
01 Apr 2026WednesdayAnnual Closing of Bank Accounts
03 Apr 2026FridayGood Friday
14 Apr 2026TuesdayDr B R Ambedkar Jayanti
01 May 2026FridayMay Day & Buddha Purnima
28 May 2026ThursdayBakrid (Id-ul-Zuha)
26 Jun 2026FridayMuharram
15 Aug 2026SaturdayIndependence Day
26 Aug 2026WednesdayEid Milad-un-Nabi
04 Sep 2026FridayKrishna Janmashtami
02 Oct 2026FridayMahatma Gandhi Jayanti
18 Oct 2026SundayDurga Puja (Maha Ashtami)
19 Oct 2026MondayDurga Puja (Maha Navami)
20 Oct 2026TuesdayDurga Puja (Vijaya Dashami)
08 Nov 2026SundayDiwali
15 Nov 2026SundayChhath Puja
16 Nov 2026MondayChhath Puja (Parna)
25 Dec 2026FridayChristmas Day

Bank holiday lists are issued by the RBI per state. Confirm the final dates with your bank, as some festival dates are subject to revision.

Restricted Holidays

Optional / Restricted Holidays 2026

Employees may choose a limited number, subject to company policy. Banks observe the annual closing on 1 April.

DateDayOccasion
23 Jan 2026FridayVasant Panchami
01 Feb 2026SundaySant Ravidas Jayanti
04 Feb 2026WednesdayShab-e-Barat
15 Feb 2026SundayMaha Shivaratri
26 Mar 2026ThursdaySamrat Ashok Jayanti
01 Apr 2026WednesdayAnnual Closing of Bank Accounts
23 Apr 2026ThursdayVeer Kunwar Singh Jayanti
25 Apr 2026SaturdayJanaki Navami
04 Aug 2026TuesdayChehlum
26 Aug 2026WednesdayHazrat Mohammad Sahab Birthday
17 Oct 2026SaturdayDurga Puja (Saptami)
10 Nov 2026TuesdayChitragupt Puja / Bhai Dooj
Schools & Patna

School Holidays and Patna Holidays in Bihar

Are schools closed tomorrow in Bihar?

Bihar schools follow the gazetted holidays above, plus their own academic-calendar breaks for summer, Durga Puja, and Chhath. Any public holiday on this page is a school holiday statewide. Unplanned closures for cold, floods, or local events come from a separate District order, so check your school circular and the live status box above.

Is today a holiday in Patna?

Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and the rest of Bihar follow the same state holiday calendar. Every gazetted public holiday on this page applies in Patna. The city also closes for the main Chhath Puja and Durga Puja festival days.

Employer Guide

How Bihar holidays apply at work

01

Compulsory public holidays

The 24 general holidays are paid days off. Offices and banks stay closed. National days (Republic, Independence, Gandhi Jayanti) are mandatory everywhere.

02

Restricted holiday choice

Employees pick a set number of restricted holidays per company policy, usually two to three. Record the chosen day in your leave system.

03

Shops & Establishments rule

Private employers grant paid public holidays per the Bihar Shops and Establishments Act and policy. Typical practice is 12 to 15 paid holidays plus weekly offs.

04

IT-sector note

Patna and other Bihar IT and ITES units often follow a fixed plus flexi-holiday model. Map each employee to the Bihar calendar and let them pick flexi days within policy.

HRMS Software in India

Auto-apply Bihar holidays to attendance and payroll

HRMS Software in India loads the Bihar holiday calendar, splits general, restricted, and bank holidays, applies them per work location, and lets staff pick restricted days within policy.

Book a Demo

State calendar built-in

General + restricted split

Per work-location

Employee restricted-day pick

Other State Holiday Calendars

Jharkhand Public Holidays West Bengal Public Holidays Uttar Pradesh Public Holidays Odisha Public Holidays Chhattisgarh Public Holidays Assam Public Holidays

See all 36 state and UT holiday calendars

Sources & Verification

How this Bihar 2026 holiday list is verified

This calendar follows the official Government of Bihar General Administration Department 2026 holiday notification, compiled by the HRMS Software in India compliance team and cross-checked before each update. Last reviewed September 2026. Islamic and lunar festival dates stay provisional until the state confirms them, so verify against the official gazette before locking payroll.

Government of Bihar GADPrimary official source Bihar Government GazetteHoliday notifications
FAQ

Bihar Holidays 2026 FAQ

Is today a holiday in Bihar?
Check the live "Is today a holiday in Bihar" box at the top of this page. It compares the current date against the official Bihar 2026 calendar and updates every day. As a general rule, Bihar government offices and banks close on all gazetted public holidays, every Sunday, and the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
Is tomorrow a holiday in Bihar?
The "Is tomorrow a holiday in Bihar" box near the top of this page shows tomorrow status automatically. If tomorrow is a gazetted public holiday such as Bihar Diwas, Durga Puja, Diwali, or Chhath Puja, offices and banks stay closed across the state, including Patna and Gaya.
Is tomorrow a school holiday in Bihar?
Most Bihar schools follow the state gazetted holiday list plus their own academic breaks for summer, Durga Puja, and Chhath. Any gazetted public holiday on this page is a school holiday across Bihar, including Patna. For unplanned closures due to cold, floods, or local events, the District administration issues a separate order, so confirm with your school circular.
Is today a holiday in Patna?
Patna follows the Bihar state holiday calendar. Every gazetted public holiday listed on this page applies in Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and across the state. Patna observes major festival days like Chhath Puja and Durga Puja as full state holidays.
How many public holidays does Bihar have in 2026?
Bihar notifies 24 general public holidays for 2026 under the GAD calendar, plus 12 restricted or optional holidays. The list includes the 3 national days and state festivals such as Bihar Diwas, Chhath Puja, and Diwali.
Are public holidays and government holidays the same in Bihar?
For the most part, yes. The government (gazetted) holidays that Bihar declares are the public holidays observed by offices, banks, and most establishments, and the two terms are used interchangeably. The separate set is restricted or optional holidays, which are not compulsory and are chosen by the employee within company policy.
Is the Bihar 2026 holiday list the same for private and IT companies?
The three national days (Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti) are compulsory for every employer. For the rest, private and IT companies in Bihar follow the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act and their own policy, usually granting 12 to 15 paid holidays from the state list plus a few optional ones. So the calendar is the same reference, but the exact paid days off can vary by company.
How do Bihar holidays affect payroll and salary?
A declared public holiday is a paid day off, so it does not reduce monthly salary. If an employee works on a public holiday, most Bihar employers pay overtime or grant a compensatory off as per policy. Payroll teams should mark each holiday correctly in attendance so loss-of-pay, overtime, and weekly-off calculations stay accurate at month end.
How many restricted or optional holidays can a Bihar employee take?
Bihar government employees may use a limited number of restricted holidays during the year with prior permission. Private employers usually allow two to three from the optional list, set by company policy. Record each chosen day in your leave system so attendance and payroll reflect it.
What are the bank holidays in Bihar in 2026?
Banks in Bihar close on all gazetted public holidays, every Sunday, and the second and fourth Saturday. Key 2026 bank holidays include Republic Day, Holi, Good Friday, Bihar Diwas, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Durga Puja, Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Christmas, plus the annual closing of bank accounts on 1 April.
What are the national holidays in Bihar 2026?
The three national gazetted holidays in Bihar for 2026 are Republic Day on 26 January, Independence Day on 15 August, and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October. These are compulsory paid holidays for every employer everywhere.
Is Bihar Diwas a public holiday?
Yes. Bihar Diwas falls on 22 March 2026 and is a compulsory state public holiday. It marks the formation of Bihar in 1912 and is observed with official events across the state. State offices, banks, and most establishments stay closed.
When is Chhath Puja in Bihar 2026 and why is it important?
Chhath Puja falls on 15 and 16 November 2026 in Bihar. It is the biggest and most revered festival in the state, dedicated to the Sun God and observed with riverbank rituals across Patna, Gaya, and the whole state. Both days are gazetted public holidays in Bihar.
Where can I download the Bihar 2026 holiday list?
Use the Download Bihar 2026 Holiday PDF button at the top of this page for the full list. You can also cross-check it against the official Bihar Government calendar on the GAD portal linked in the Sources and Verification section.
Why are some Bihar festival dates tentative?
Islamic festivals such as Id-ul-Fitr, Bakrid, Muharram, and Hazrat Mohammad Sahab Birthday depend on moon sighting and are provisional. Bihar may issue a revised date close to the festival, so confirm against the official gazette before locking attendance and payroll.
How does HRMS Software in India manage the Bihar holiday calendar across locations?
HRMS Software in India loads the Bihar holiday calendar, separates general, restricted, and bank holidays, and applies them to attendance and payroll by work location. Teams with offices in Patna and other states get the correct state calendar per site, and employees pick restricted holidays within policy. Book a demo to see it on your own setup.

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