Banks to stay shut for 15 days across states in October; RBI issues holiday list
The RBI's October 2026 list has banks closed on 15 days in different states, though online banking services will keep running.
The festival season has begun across the country. After Ganeshotsav, festivals such as Dussehra, Chhath Puja and Durga Puja follow one after another in October. Festivals mean holidays, and this will affect the working of banks. Customers with bank work to do should first check the list of holidays.
The RBI has recently released the list of holidays for October 2026. Many states will have more than one bank holiday this month. In all, banks will remain closed for 15 days in different states. Online banking services will, however, continue during this period. Banks will be shut for Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, Mahalaya Amavasya, Maha Saptami, Dussehra, Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja, Durga Puja, Vijayadashami, Lakshmi Puja, Karva Chauth and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti.
All banks in India remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays. Bank employees have been demanding a five-day week for some time. A leading bank employees' union had announced a strike on this issue between October 28 and 30, but it was postponed at the last moment.
Customers can do most banking work from home during the holidays through online banking, smartphone apps and UPI-based payments. Sending money, paying bills and managing accounts can be done instantly even on holidays. Some tasks, however, may require a visit to a branch.
On October 2, 2026, banks will be closed nationwide for Gandhi Jayanti. It is a national holiday, so banks will be shut in all states and Union Territories. October 4 is a Sunday, October 10 is the second Saturday of the month, October 18 is a Sunday, October 24 is the fourth Saturday and October 25 is a Sunday. Banks will be closed across the country on all these days.
On October 17, banks will be closed in Tripura for Maha Saptami. On October 19, banks will be closed in Tripura, Mizoram, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Meghalaya for Dussehra (Maha Ashtami), Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja and Durga Puja. On October 20, banks will be closed in all states except Manipur and Sikkim for Dussehra, Vijayadashami, Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja and Durga Puja.
On October 21, banks will be closed in Tripura, Karnataka, Sikkim, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal for Vijayadashami and Durga Puja (Dasain). On October 22 and 23 too, banks will be closed in Sikkim for Durga Puja (Dasain). On October 26, banks will be closed in Tripura, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar, and Himachal Pradesh for Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti.
On October 29, banks will be closed in Himachal Pradesh for Karva Chauth. On October 31, banks will be closed in Gujarat for the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
