Public Holidays and Festivals in India 2019

In India General Holidays, usually mean Government Holidays or Public Holidays or Compulsory holidays, are holidays that usually observed everywhere like banks, government sector, public sector or private sector, schools etc. There are 17 compulsory holiday including above three national holidays. These holidays are provided by the central Government of India and these are common for all states and union territories of the nation.

Central Government Holidays or Gazetted Holiday calendar 2019

Source: https://www.india.gov.in/calendar/

All of the above 14 holidays are observed as the compulsory holidays for all central government employees throughout India. In addition, three (3) more holidays shall be decided from the list below (Additional Compulsory Holiday List 2019) by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee of the concerned state. And the 17 compulsory holidays must be the same for all Central Government Offices for the concerned State.

Additional Compulsory Holiday List 2019

Source: https://www.india.gov.in/calendar/

India is a country of 29 states and 7 union territories where a different type of religious followers (Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Jain and others) lives together with a vast cultural heritage. They celebrate different types of festivals and cultural activities throughout the years, and which are varies from state to state.

Except this 17 compulsory central holidays (Gazetted Holidays), a state or Union Territory can get 2 or 3 more (sometimes up to 6 to 9) additional holidays. Basically, these extra holidays depend on the importance and priority of a festival by the state people. These optional holiday lists are selected by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee and this list is usually called as Restricted Holidays.

Restricted Holidays or Optional Holiday calendar for 2019

Source: https://www.india.gov.in/calendar/

In India Sunday declared as weekend holiday. If any above mention holiday coincides with Sunday then it will not be counted as an extra holiday.

All the above festivals are commonly used for central government, state government, and others sectors office holidays. In addition, there are numerous festivals, events, and fairs which are also observed in some states and localities as holidays, the dates of which change from year to year.

Time and Date mentioned on the above lists for Muslim festivals are based on the latest known dates and may vary according to the local sightings of the first-day moon.