Holiday Guide for Jharkhand in 2026

Jharkhand, the “Land of Forests” was carved out of Bihar on 15 November 2000. The state is home to rich tribal traditions including the Santali, Oraon, Munda, and Ho communities, each contributing their own celebrations to a vibrant annual calendar. 

 Holidays in Jharkhand are crucial for workforce planning, payroll compliance, and personal leave management. They are categorised under: 

• Gazetted Holidays (under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881) 
• Executive Order Holidays (state government and revenue offices) 
• Bank-specific closures (2nd and 4th Saturdays) 
• Sunday-offset observances (festivals falling on Sundays) 

In this guide, you will find the complete, gazette-verified list of holidays in Jharkhand for 2026. All data is sourced from the official Jharkhand Gazette Extraordinary (No. 542, dated 15 December 2025) published by the Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Official Language Department, Government of Jharkhand. 

What are the Official Public Holidays in Jharkhand in 2026?

Public holidays in Jharkhand are announced by the state government and are binding on all government offices, banks, educational institutions, and most private organisations. The 2026 list covers 21 gazetted holidays and 13 Executive Order holidays, totalling 34 government-designated closure days.

 *Islamic holidays (Id-ul-Fitr, Bakri Eid, Muharram, Milad-un-Nabi) are subject to change based on the appearance of the moon. Employers must verify final dates from official government announcements.  Note: Maha Shivaratri (15 Jan), Diwali (08 Nov), and Chhath Evening Arghya (15 Nov) fall on Sundays and are not declared as separate gazetted holidays; however, establishments where Sunday is a regular working day will observe them as holidays on those dates. 

HR Action Tip: 

Ensure all 34 public and Executive Order holidays are reflected in your company’s leave calendar, HRMS, and payroll systems. Pay special attention to Jharkhand-specific tribal holidays like Sarhul, Karma Puja, and Hul Diwas, communicate these in advance with employees to avoid confusion and maintain compliance.

What are the Bank Holidays in Jharkhand in 2026?

Bank holidays in Jharkhand include all gazetted public holidays plus every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Banks may remain open for digital services even on closure days, but branch operations and physical transactions will be halted. Payroll teams must plan fund transfers and salary disbursals around these dates. 

 *Islamic holiday dates are subject to moon sighting and may shift by one day. All 2nd and 4th Saturdays are non-working days for public sector banks across Jharkhand as per the Indian Banks’ Association agreement. 

HR Action Tip: 

Align salary disbursals, vendor payments, PF/ESI transfers, and reimbursement cycles well in advance of bank closures. The annual bank account closing on 01 April 2026, a gazetted Schedule-3 holiday is especially critical as it falls at the start of the new fiscal year immediately after Mahavir Jayanti and the fiscal year-end. 

What are the Optional (Restricted) Holidays in Jharkhand in 2026?

The Jharkhand Government Gazette (Schedule-2 footnotes) identifies several festivals that fall on Sundays in 2026 and are therefore not declared as separate gazetted holidays. However, establishments where Sunday is a regular working day are required to observe these as holidays on those dates. Employees may also select these as optional leave days subject to company policy and prior approval. 

 Employees may select a limited number of these as restricted holidays as per company policy. Establishments where Sunday is a normal working day must mandatorily observe these as holidays. Source: Jharkhand Gazette Extraordinary No. 542, Schedule-2 footnotes. 

Payroll-Sensitive Dates to Watch Out for HR Professionals

Some holidays significantly impact payroll processing and financial operations, particularly when they fall near month-end, fiscal deadlines, or create long weekends that generate extended leave clusters.

HR Action Tip: 

The Chhath Puja cluster (08–16 November 2026) is Jharkhand’s most impactful leave period. Chhath (Diwali falls 08 Nov Sunday; Govardhan 09 Nov Monday; Bhaiya Dooj 11 Nov Wednesday; Chhath Morning Arghya 16 Nov Monday) creates a fragmented fortnight with multiple consecutive holidays. Pre-process November payroll at least a week early.