150-plus days off for govt staff: West Bengal releases 2026 holiday calendar
Employees will receive 27 holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act and 26 under state government orders, totaling 53 official off-days.
- Nov 30, 2025,
- Updated Nov 30, 2025 3:12 PM IST
West Bengal is gearing up for a festival season like no other in 2026, with government employees set to enjoy one of the longest stretches of official holidays. Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja will combine into an uninterrupted 12-day break, making nearly half of October a time off for state employees.
The state Finance Department’s holiday schedule lays out a long, festive run starting with Chaturthi, Panchami, and Sasthi on October 15, 16, and 17. Maha Saptami falls on Sunday, October 18, creating a smooth transition into Ashtami, Nabami, and Dashami on October 19, 20, and 21.
To keep the festive momentum, the government has announced three additional Puja holidays on October 22, 23, and 24. Lakshmi Puja then arrives on Sunday, October 25, with an extra holiday on October 26, giving employees nearly two full weeks of uninterrupted celebrations and time off. This carefully planned stretch ensures that the festive spirit carries on without any breaks, making it one of the longest official holiday periods in recent memory.
November is also set to be a festive month, with Kali Puja and Chhath giving employees over ten days off in total.
However, 2026 comes with a twist. Six major occasions—Shivaratri in February, Durga Puja Saptami in October, Lakshmi Puja in October, Kali Puja in November, Chhath Puja, and Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary in November—fall on Sundays, which means they will not add extra holidays for employees.
Even so, the year remains packed with downtime. Employees will receive 27 holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act and 26 under state government orders, totaling 53 official off-days. Adding 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays brings the total number of non-working days past 150.
Santhali employees will also get a special sectional holiday for Hul Dibas on June 30, as notified, ensuring that the festival calendar caters to cultural observances across communities.
West Bengal is gearing up for a festival season like no other in 2026, with government employees set to enjoy one of the longest stretches of official holidays. Durga Puja and Lakshmi Puja will combine into an uninterrupted 12-day break, making nearly half of October a time off for state employees.
The state Finance Department’s holiday schedule lays out a long, festive run starting with Chaturthi, Panchami, and Sasthi on October 15, 16, and 17. Maha Saptami falls on Sunday, October 18, creating a smooth transition into Ashtami, Nabami, and Dashami on October 19, 20, and 21.
To keep the festive momentum, the government has announced three additional Puja holidays on October 22, 23, and 24. Lakshmi Puja then arrives on Sunday, October 25, with an extra holiday on October 26, giving employees nearly two full weeks of uninterrupted celebrations and time off. This carefully planned stretch ensures that the festive spirit carries on without any breaks, making it one of the longest official holiday periods in recent memory.
November is also set to be a festive month, with Kali Puja and Chhath giving employees over ten days off in total.
However, 2026 comes with a twist. Six major occasions—Shivaratri in February, Durga Puja Saptami in October, Lakshmi Puja in October, Kali Puja in November, Chhath Puja, and Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary in November—fall on Sundays, which means they will not add extra holidays for employees.
Even so, the year remains packed with downtime. Employees will receive 27 holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act and 26 under state government orders, totaling 53 official off-days. Adding 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays brings the total number of non-working days past 150.
Santhali employees will also get a special sectional holiday for Hul Dibas on June 30, as notified, ensuring that the festival calendar caters to cultural observances across communities.