Bhubaneswar, 20th Nov 2025: The state government has released the holiday calendar for the year 2026. Government employees in Odisha will get a total of 29 official holidays and one optional holiday (chosen from a list of 9 optional holidays). However, 6 of these holidays fall on Sundays or second Saturdays.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management on Tuesday, the 2026 holiday calendar will apply to all government offices and revenue and magistrate courts. The 29 official holidays begin with Makar Sankranti in the new year and continue up to Christmas Day. For Nuakhai, which falls on September 15, two days of holidays—15 and 16 September—have been declared.
Apart from these holidays, government employees may choose any one day from the 9 listed optional holidays. These include Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, Shab-e-Qadr, Easter Saturday, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Jayanti, Bahuda Yatra, Brahmo Samaj Foundation Day, Anla Navami, Prathamastami, and Christmas Eve (24 December).
Among the 6 government holidays that fall on Sundays or second Saturdays are Maha Shivaratri, Pahili Raja, Mahalaya, Maha Ashtami, Kumar Purnima, and Deepavali.
Below are the major holidays included in the 29 official holidays for 2026:
- January 14 – Makar Sankranti
- January 23 – Subhas Chandra Bose/Bir Surendra Sai Jayanti & Basant Panchami
- January 26 – Republic Day
- March (Dola Purnima)
- March 4 – Holi
- March 21 – Id-ul-Fitr
- March 27 – Ram Navami
- April 1 – Utkal Divas
- April 9 – Good Friday
- April 14 – Maha Bishuba Sankranti / Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti
- May 1 – May Day
- May 16 – Savitri Amavasya
- June 27 – Id-ul-Zuha
- June 15 – Raja Sankranti
- June 26 – Muharram
- July 16 – Rath Yatra
- August 15 – Independence Day
- August 26 – Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
- August 27 – Jhulan Purnima
- September 4 – Janmashtami
- September 14 – Ganesh Puja
- September 15–16 – Nuakhai
- October 2 – Gandhi Jayanti
- October 17 – Maha Saptami
- October 19 – Maha Navami
- October 20 – Vijaya Dashami
- October 24 – Rahas Purnima
- December 25 – Christmas Day
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