October School Holiday 2026: The month of October 2026 seems like one of the busier months when it comes to festivals in the Indian school academic year, with six important days being part of the 2026 central holiday list, including October 2, October 18, October 19, October 20, October 26 and October 29. Gandhi Jayanti occurs on October 2, while Dussehra falls between October 18-20. October 26 is dedicated to Valmiki Jayanti and October 29 to Karaka Chaturthi, popularly known as Karwa Chauth.
However, for students, the days off may actually increase in number since most schools tend to give autumn breaks or Dussehra/Durga Puja breaks along with the festival break. This ultimately depends upon the calendar fixed by the state education department and the school board.
October 2026 School Holiday List
| Date | Day | Holiday/Festival | School holiday status |
| October 2 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti | Widely observed |
| October 18 | Sunday | Dussehra (Saptami) | State/institution dependent |
| October 19 | Monday | Dussehra (Maha Ashtami) | State/institution dependent |
| October 20 | Tuesday | Dussehra/Vijay Dashami | Widely listed |
| October 26 | Monday | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti | State dependent |
| October 29 | Thursday | Karaka Chaturthi/Karwa Chauth | State dependent |
The dates above are reflected in official 2026 holiday lists. Not every date automatically means a holiday for every school in India.
October 2026 School Holiday: Festive State-Wise Break
| State/Region | Major October dates | Possible school break pattern |
| Delhi | Oct 2, Oct 20, Oct 26, Oct 29 | Festival holidays plus possible autumn break |
| Haryana | Oct 2, Oct 20, Oct 26, Oct 29 | Dussehra-related closure may vary |
| Uttar Pradesh | Oct 2, Oct 18-20, Oct 26, Oct 29 | Dussehra/festival break may extend |
| Maharashtra/Mumbai | Oct 2, Oct 20 and regional dates | School-specific calendar applies |
| Kerala | Oct 2 and regional festival dates | Institutional calendar varies |
| Tamil Nadu/Chennai | Oct 2 and applicable state holidays | School calendar should be checked |
| West Bengal | Oct 2, Oct 19-20 and Puja-related dates | Durga Puja break can be longer |
| Himachal Pradesh | Oct 2, Oct 20, Oct 26, Oct 29 | State holiday list and school calendar apply |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Oct 2, Oct 20, Oct 26 | Regional calendar applies |
| Gujarat | Oct 2, Oct 20 and applicable regional holidays | School-specific dates may differ |
Delhi School Holidays
On October 2, Delhi schools should mark Gandhi Jayanti, while Dussehra/Vijay Dashami is marked as an event on October 20, as per the central holiday calendar. October 26 and 29 are two other events mentioned on the holiday calendar. The important difference that the parent should know about is between the two holidays, one notified and another being school holiday. The Delhi school calendar may include other vacation days of Dussehra.
Haryana School Holidays
The October holidays for Haryana will include Gandhi Jayanti and the days of Dussehra and the 2026 holidays of India’s capital will also include October 26 and October 29. Parents, when making travel plans, should check whether the holidays for festivals have been combined by their child’s school with weekends.
Uttar Pradesh School Holidays
There are various significant October days in the state of Uttar Pradesh in relation to Dussehra. As per the official calendar of holidays for the year 2026, the days are October 18, October 19 and October 20 during the Dussehra season, October 26 as Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, and October 29 as Karwa Chauth. There may be some variation in the actual vacation days of schools due to districts and institutions.
Mumbai School Holidays
At schools in Mumbai, it is possible for the month of October to have a school calendar that consists of government holidays along with festive holidays that are unique to Maharashtra. Gandhi Jayanti occurs on October 2, while Dussehra is scheduled in October 20 in the 2026 list of holidays. The autumn/festive holidays at schools run by various boards may be different from each other and thus, parents must refer to the school calendar.
Kerala School Holidays
The educational calendar of Kerala may be very different from that in northern states and therefore, holiday dates in October should always be ascertained by comparing the state government’s education department’s calendar and the school’s academic calendar. However, in the 2026 central calendar, Gandhi Jayanti falls on October 2, while Dussehra/Vijay Dashami falls between October 18 and 20.
Chennai School Holidays
Chennai Schools can have holidays based on Tamil Nadu government holiday notices besides the respective school board notices. October 2nd is the national holiday for Gandhi Jayanti, but the other October festivals depend upon the respective state holiday notice and school holiday calendar. It should not be presumed that any particular festival holiday on the list by central government implies school holiday in Chennai.
West Bengal School Holidays
It can be presumed that one of the biggest celebrations in West Bengal will fall during the month of October due to the significance of Durga Puja within the list of annual holidays for the state.
According to official holiday records from the Kolkata government, October 19 and October 20 will be among the holidays related to Dussehra. The important thing for family members is the fact that there may be multiple days for Puja within the school break.
Himachal Pradesh School Holidays
Schools in Himachal Pradesh will be able to plan holidays during Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. For instance, October 26 is a Monday, which makes it possible to have a three-day holiday since the previous two days of the week are non-school days. However, this all depends on the calendar of the particular school.
Jammu & Kashmir School Holidays
J&K state schools can observe the regional holidays besides central government holidays. Some of the important dates include October 2 and Dussehra, and October 26 includes Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti in 2026 holiday calendar. It is advisable that parents refer to the latest school notification, especially since the calendars vary from region to region and from school to school.
Gujarat School Holidays
October in Gujarat features celebrations for Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra along with other holidays, while Karaka Chaturthi is observed on October 29 in the central 2026 calendar. Since Gujarat does have its own list of festivals, students need to be aware that holiday closure dates may not coincide with those of the central government.
What Students & Parents Should Check Before Planning Holiday
- Check the school’s official circular: Government holiday lists do not automatically determine every school’s vacation.
- Confirm the board calendar: CBSE, state-board, ICSE and other schools may follow different academic schedules.
- Look for autumn/Dussehra breaks: Some schools combine individual holidays into a longer vacation.
- Check weekends: October 2 is a Friday and October 26 is a Monday, potentially creating three-day breaks for schools that follow a Saturday-Sunday weekend.
- Verify October 18-20: The Dussehra period includes Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, so the actual school break can vary.
- Check transport and hostel schedules: Boarding schools may operate different calendars from day schools.
- Plan travel only after confirmation: Festival dates alone are not sufficient evidence of a school’s complete vacation period.
As such, October 2026 presents six distinct dates for festivals and national holidays in the holiday calendar. There is potential for creating extra time off if weekend holidays are included in addition to those declared by schools. According to official government records, holidays are not uniform across regions or institutions.
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Disclaimer: Holiday dates may vary by state, board and school. Students and parents should confirm the final schedule through their institution’s official notice.
