Bank Holidays October 2026: The festive season is bringing several bank holidays across India, making it important for customers to plan their banking activities in advance. With Durga Puja, Dussehra, Lakshmi Puja and other regional celebrations taking place during the second half of October, bank branches in different states are scheduled to remain closed on multiple dates.

According to the holiday schedule provided in the report, banks will observe holidays on 10 distinct dates between October 17 and October 29, 2026, including regular weekend closures. However, these holidays will not apply uniformly across India. Some will affect banks nationwide, while others will be restricted to specific cities or states.

Customers planning to visit a branch for cheque-related work, loan documentation, demand drafts or other services should check the applicable holiday schedule before leaving home.

RBI Bank Holiday List October 2026: Complete Date-Wise Schedule

The Reserve Bank of India publishes bank holiday information according to different regions and applicable holiday categories.

The following table presents the remaining October bank holidays mentioned in the supplied report.

Important clarification: The supplied schedule actually identifies 11 distinct holiday dates, not 10, when October 22 and October 23 are counted separately. These dates are not all nationwide holidays, and the city-wise information should be verified against the official RBI calendar before making travel or banking arrangements.

Banks Closed on October 17 for Maha Saptami

Saturday, October 17, 2026, is listed as a regional bank holiday in Agartala on account of Maha Saptami.

Bank branches in other parts of India are generally expected to operate according to their normal Saturday schedules because October 17 is the third Saturday of the month.

Under the regular banking holiday system, branches generally remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays, while the first, third and fifth Saturdays are working days unless another applicable holiday falls on those dates.

Customers should nevertheless confirm the operating hours of their individual branches.

October 18: Sunday Holiday Across India

Banks will remain closed for regular branch operations on Sunday, October 18.

This is a nationwide weekly holiday and applies regardless of regional festival schedules.

Customers who need branch-based services should complete urgent transactions beforehand or wait until the next working day in their respective location.

Digital banking services are generally available even when physical branches are closed.

October 19: Maha Navami and Ayudha Puja Bank Holidays

Monday, October 19, is listed as a holiday in several banking regions because of Maha Navami and Ayudha Puja celebrations.

The cities mentioned in the supplied schedule include Agartala, Aizawl, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi and Shillong.

These celebrations hold particular cultural and religious significance in different parts of India.

Customers in the affected locations may experience interruptions in services that require physical branch visits.

However, banks in regions not covered by the applicable holiday notification may continue normal operations.

October 20: Dussehra Holiday in Several States

Tuesday, October 20, is expected to be one of the more widely observed bank holidays in the supplied schedule.

The holiday is associated with Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, which marks an important festival in many parts of the country.

The report states that banks will remain closed across most regions, with Gangtok and Imphal listed as exceptions.

Because RBI holidays are notified region-wise, customers should not assume that every bank branch in India will necessarily remain closed.

Checking the official city-specific schedule is the safest way to confirm whether a particular branch will operate.

October 21–23: Extended Durga Puja Holidays in Selected Cities

The festive break continues on Wednesday, October 21, when banks are listed as closed in Agartala, Bengaluru, Gangtok, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram.

The holiday is associated with Durga Puja and Vijayadashami observances.

Additionally, Gangtok is listed as observing bank holidays on October 22 and October 23 for Durga Puja or Dasain.

This means customers in Gangtok could face several consecutive days of branch closures during the festive period.

Those needing services such as document verification, account-related paperwork or bank-assisted transactions should plan accordingly.

October 24 and 25: Nationwide Weekend Bank Closures

Banks will remain closed for regular branch services on Saturday, October 24, because it is the fourth Saturday of the month.

Under the standard banking schedule, the second and fourth Saturdays are designated holidays.

The following day, October 25, is a Sunday, resulting in another nationwide weekly closure.

The supplied report also mentions Lakshmi Puja observances in Odisha and West Bengal on October 25.

Since the date already falls on a Sunday, the regular weekly holiday applies to bank branches across the country.

October 26: Regional Holidays in Five Banking Centres

Monday, October 26, is listed as a bank holiday in Agartala, Chandigarh, Jammu, Shimla and Srinagar.

The occasions mentioned include Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day and Valmiki Jayanti.

The applicable reason for closure may differ between regions.

For customers in the affected cities, the combination of the fourth Saturday on October 24, Sunday on October 25 and a regional holiday on October 26 could create a three-day break in physical branch services.

However, this extended closure would not apply to every city in India.

October 29: Karwa Chauth Bank Holiday in Shimla

Thursday, October 29, is listed as a local bank holiday in Shimla in connection with Karwa Chauth.

The supplied schedule does not identify this date as a nationwide banking holiday.

Therefore, bank customers in other cities should not assume that branches will be closed for Karwa Chauth.

Local and regional holidays can vary considerably, even when the same festival is observed in several states.

Will UPI, ATM and Online Banking Work During Bank Holidays?

Although physical bank branches may remain closed, most digital banking facilities generally continue operating.

Customers can usually access essential financial services through mobile banking applications, internet banking platforms and ATMs.

The following services are typically available during bank holidays:

• UPI payments: Customers can generally send and receive money through supported UPI applications.
• ATM withdrawals: Cash withdrawal facilities normally remain operational, subject to cash availability and technical conditions.
• Mobile banking: Users can check balances, review transactions and access supported account services.
• Internet banking: Online transfers and various account management facilities generally remain accessible.
• IMPS transfers: Instant payment services usually operate around the clock.
• NEFT and RTGS: These electronic payment systems are generally available 24 hours a day, including holidays.

However, digital transactions may occasionally be affected by scheduled maintenance, connectivity issues or bank-specific service interruptions.

Which Banking Services May Be Delayed During Holidays?

Some banking activities still require employees to be physically present at a branch.

Customers may experience delays in services such as demand draft issuance, certain cheque-processing activities, locker access, physical document verification and loan-related paperwork.

Transactions involving manual approval or branch-level processing may also take longer during extended holiday periods.

For example, someone planning to submit original documents for a loan application may need to visit the branch on a working day.

Similarly, customers who require a banker's cheque or other branch-issued document should avoid leaving the task until the beginning of a long holiday period.

How to Check the Official RBI Bank Holiday Calendar

The Reserve Bank of India maintains a holiday calendar that allows customers to check applicable banking holidays by location.

To verify the schedule:

1. Visit the official RBI website at rbi.org.in.
2. Locate the Bank Holidays section.
3. Select the relevant month and year.
4. Choose the applicable regional banking centre.
5. Review the holiday dates before planning a branch visit.

Customers may also contact their bank's customer service team or check the branch's official announcements.

Are Banks Closed for 10 Days in the Remaining Part of October?

The claim that banks will remain closed for 10 days during the remaining part of October needs to be understood carefully.

The supplied report lists 11 separate dates between October 17 and October 29 when bank holidays apply in at least one region.

However, no single nationwide 10-day closure is indicated by this schedule.

Some cities will experience only the regular weekend holidays and widely observed festivals, while others may have additional regional closures.

The number of actual non-working days therefore depends on the location of the bank branch.

Bank Holiday October 2026: What Customers Should Remember

October's second half includes several important religious festivals and regular weekend closures that may affect banking operations.

Customers in cities such as Kolkata, Agartala, Gangtok and Shimla should pay particular attention to regional holidays, while those elsewhere should verify their local schedules.

Although online banking, UPI and ATM services are generally available during holidays, transactions requiring a physical branch visit should be planned in advance.

Before visiting your bank, check the official RBI holiday calendar for your city and confirm the branch's working status to avoid unnecessary travel or delays.