Bank customers across India should note that branches will be shut for up to 11 days in October 2026, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) holiday calendar. The exact number of non-working days will differ by state, influenced by a combination of national observances, weekend closures, and regional festivals.
National and Weekend Bank Closures
October begins with a nationwide holiday on October 2 for Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, ensuring all banks remain closed. Beyond this, all Sundays throughout the month are non-working days. The second Saturday, falling on October 10, will also see banks closed countrywide, as per standard RBI regulations. These national and weekend closures form the foundational set of holidays before state-specific festivals are added.
Key State-Wise Festival Holidays
Many of October’s bank holidays are tied to Dussehra, Durga Puja, and related regional celebrations. Customers are advised to verify specific dates relevant to their state:
- October 10 (Saturday): Mahalaya Amavasye – Banks closed in Bengaluru and Kolkata.
- October 17 (Saturday): Maha Saptami – Banks closed in Agartala (Tripura).
- October 19 (Monday): Dussehra/Maha Ashtami–Maha Navami – Banks closed in Agartala, Aizawl, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, and Shillong.
- October 20–23: Vijaya Dashami/Durga Puja (Dasain) – Banks shut in Gangtok, Imphal, Agartala, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram on one or more of these days.
- October 26 (Monday): Laxmi Puja/Accession Day/Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday – Banks closed in Agartala, Chandigarh, Jammu, Shimla, and Srinagar.
- October 29 (Thursday): Karva Chauth – Banks closed in Shimla.
- October 31 (Saturday): Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birthday – Banks closed in Ahmedabad.
The combination of these festival holidays with standard weekends can lead to extended breaks in several states, while others may experience fewer additional closures.
Impact on Customers and Digital Services
While physical bank branches and some back-office operations will be affected by these closures, essential digital banking services are expected to remain functional. This includes ATMs, internet banking, mobile banking, and UPI transactions, though occasional technical maintenance windows may occur. However, branch-dependent services such as cheque clearances and specific loan processing scheduled on holiday dates will typically be processed on the subsequent working day.
For the most precise and up-to-date state-wise list, customers are strongly encouraged to consult the official RBI holiday calendar and notifications issued by their respective banks, as some lenders may declare additional local holidays.