How Many Government Holidays Are There in India in a Year? A Complete Breakdown for 2025

Hello everyone, I am your dedicated public holiday assistant. Recently, a little friend consulted me about the title of how many government holidays in a year in India. Now I will summarize the relevant problems, hoping to help the little friends who want to know.

If you’ve ever tried to plan a trip or schedule a meeting across India, you know the struggle: one state’s holiday is another state’s regular workday. The question “how many government holidays in a year in India” pops up all the time. And the honest answer? Well, it’s not a simple number. India doesn’t have a single, fixed count of government holidays that applies everywhere. Instead, it’s a mix of three national holidays, a bunch of central government optional holidays, and a whole lot of state-specific celebrations. Let me break it down for you so you can get a clear picture.

First off, the Indian government (central and state) classifies holidays into two main buckets: gazetted holidays and restricted holidays. Gazetted holidays are mandatory days off for all government offices, banks, and most public sector units. Restricted holidays are optional—you can choose to take them if the festival matters to you, but the office stays open. And then there are state-specific holidays, which are declared by each state government for local festivals or events.

For the central government (India’s federal government), there are exactly three national gazetted holidays that are observed everywhere: Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). That’s the bare minimum. But on top of that, the central government also lists a set of additional gazetted holidays—usually around 14 to 16 more—that apply to central government offices across the country. These include major festivals like Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid, Christmas, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, and others. However, not every office observes all of them; some festivals are region-specific. For example, central government offices in Delhi might observe Chhath Puja, but offices in Mumbai might not.

So if you add the three national holidays to the typical list of 14–16 central gazetted holidays, you get roughly 17 to 19 central government holidays per year. But wait—there are also restricted holidays (about 30+ on the central list), but those are optional. For a typical government employee, the actual number of mandatory days off is the gazetted count.

Now, state governments have their own separate holiday lists. For instance, Tamil Nadu might have Pongal as a mandatory holiday, while West Bengal gives Durga Puja a long break. Some states have more than 20 gazetted holidays a year because of local festivals. Others, like Gujarat, might have around 18. The total number of government holidays in India varies between 15 and 25, depending on whether you’re counting central or state, and whether you include restricted holidays as “government holidays.”

One more thing: banks and schools have additional holidays. Banks follow the Reserve Bank of India’s holiday calendar, which is different from the central government’s. And schools have their own academic calendar with breaks. So the “government holidays” you’re asking about usually refer to the days when government offices and public sector companies are closed.

Questions related to how many government holidays in a year in India

1. What are the three national holidays in India?
Republic Day (Jan 26), Independence Day (Aug 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (Oct 2). These are mandatory throughout India, no matter which state you’re in.

2. How many central government gazetted holidays are there in 2025?
For 2025, the central government has declared 17 gazetted holidays, including the three national ones. These include holidays like Diwali (Oct 20), Holi (March 14), Eid-ul-Fitr (approx March 31), Good Friday (April 18), and others. You can find the full list on the Ministry of Personnel’s website.

3. Do state governments have more holidays than the central government?
Often yes. Many states add 2–5 extra state-specific holidays, like Maharashtra’s Shivaji Jayanti, or Karnataka’s Kannada Rajyotsava. So a state government employee might have 20–22 gazetted holidays per year.

4. Are Sundays and Saturdays counted as holidays?
No, the question is about “government holidays” meaning declared public holidays. Sundays are regular weekly offs, and Saturdays are often half-days or full working days in some states. But they are not “government holidays” in the official list.

5. How can I check the exact number of government holidays in my state?
Each state government publishes a holiday calendar at the start of the year. The best way is to search “[Your State] government holiday list 2025” or check the official department of personnel website.

Summarizing based on how many government holidays in a year in India: there isn’t one answer fits all. At the central level, you get about 17 gazetted holidays. Add state-specific ones and you’re looking at 15–25 days. If you include restricted holidays, the number can jump to 40+, but those are optional. So when someone asks “how many,” it’s best to clarify: “Are we talking central, state, or banks? And do you mean mandatory days off or optional too?” Now you’ve got the full picture.

Public Holiday Calendar . COM Thank you for reading, I hope this article can help you fully understand how many government holidays in a year in India. If you have more questions—like which holidays are observed in your specific state or how the list changes for 2026—please contact us. I’m always here to help you plan your days off!