Bank Holidays in India: How They Work and How to Check the List

Before you visit a bank branch, deposit a cheque or plan a loan signing, it helps to know whether banks are open that day. Bank holidays in India are not the same in every state, and the list changes every year. This guide explains how bank holidays work, which services still run when branches are closed and how to check the official list for the current year.

How Bank Holidays Are Decided

Bank holidays in India are linked to the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the law that covers cheques and similar documents. Holidays under this Act are notified by the government, and many of them are decided state by state based on local festivals and events.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) publishes these holidays on its website for every state and every month. Banks then follow the list that applies to the state where each branch is located.

RBI's Three Holiday Categories

On the RBI website, each holiday is listed under one of three categories. The category tells you which banking activities stop that day.

1. Holiday Under the Negotiable Instruments Act

This is the most common type. Bank branches in that state are closed, and cheques are not cleared there that day. Festival holidays such as Pongal or Tamil New Year in Tamil Nadu usually fall in this category.

2. Holiday Under the Negotiable Instruments Act and RTGS Holiday

Here, branches are closed and the day is also marked as a holiday for RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement), the system for large-value bank transfers. National holidays such as Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti are examples of days that appear in this category across states.

3. Banks' Closing of Accounts

Banks close their yearly accounts at the end of the financial year. Around 1 April, the RBI list may show a day when banks are closed to the public for this purpose, even though it is not a festival.

Category	Branches	What it mainly affects
NI Act holiday	Closed in that state	Branch work and cheque clearing
NI Act and RTGS holiday	Closed	Branch work, cheques and RTGS settlement
Closing of accounts	Closed to the public	Year-end account closing

Weekends: Sundays and Second and Fourth Saturdays

Besides the listed holidays, banks in India are closed on:

• Every Sunday.
• The second and fourth Saturday of every month.

On the first, third and (when a month has one) fifth Saturday, banks are normally open with regular working hours. These weekend closures apply across India, so they are often not repeated in state holiday lists. Always count them separately when you plan a bank visit.

Why Holidays Differ by State

A bank holiday in one state may be a normal working day in another. For example, Pongal and Thiruvalluvar Day are holidays in Tamil Nadu, Onam is a holiday in Kerala and Bihu is a holiday in Assam. A festival like Diwali or Holi can also fall on different days or be listed under different names in different states.

This matters if you deal with a branch in another state, or if you send a cheque that has to be cleared elsewhere. Check the list for the state where the branch is, not only your own state.

What Still Works on a Bank Holiday

Branches may be closed, but many services run as usual:

• UPI and IMPS: Instant payments through apps like BHIM, Google Pay or PhonePe and through IMPS work every day, including holidays.
• Net banking and mobile banking: You can check balances, pay bills and transfer money online.
• NEFT: NEFT transfers run round the clock on all days, including holidays.
• RTGS: RTGS is also available round the clock, though days marked as RTGS holidays may affect settlement.
• ATMs and cash deposit machines: These usually work, but during long holiday stretches some ATMs may run out of cash. Withdraw what you need in advance.
• Debit and credit cards: Card payments in shops and online work as usual.

What Waits Until the Next Working Day

• Cheque clearing: Cheques deposited before or on a holiday are processed on the next working day, so the money reaches the account later.
• Branch-only work: Opening accounts in person, locker access, demand drafts, loan document signing and passbook updates at the counter need an open branch.
• Some loan and EMI processes: If a due date falls on a holiday, check your bank's terms on how it is handled.

How to Check This Year's Bank Holiday List

1. Visit the RBI website. Go to rbi.org.in and open the "Bank Holidays" page, which you will find under the main menu.
2. Select your state and month. The page lists each holiday with its date, name and category for the region you choose.
3. Add Sundays and second and fourth Saturdays. Mark these on your calendar too.
4. Check your branch. Banks display holiday notices at branches and often on their own websites and apps. Local holidays declared at short notice by the state government may be added during the year.
5. Plan ahead around festival weeks. When a festival falls next to a weekend, banks can be closed for several days in a row. Finish cheque deposits and branch work early.

If you are preparing for bank jobs through IBPS, SBI or RBI exams, knowing how holidays and payment systems work is also useful general banking awareness. For more practical guides, visit our blog.

Our Earlier 2024 List

The month-wise list of 2024 bank holidays that we published earlier is kept below for reference. Dates change every year, so use the RBI website for the current year's official holidays in your state.

2024 bank holiday list (for reference)

The list below is the 2024 calendar published earlier on this site. Use the RBI website for the current year.

Bank Holidays in January 2024

Bank Holidays in February 2024

Bank Holidays in March 2024

Bank Holidays in April 2024

Bank Holidays in May 2024

Bank Holidays in June 2024

Bank Holidays in July 2024

Bank Holidays in August 2024

Bank Holidays in September 2024

Bank Holidays in October 2024

Bank Holidays in November 2024

Bank Holidays in December 2024