Planning Your Branch Visits
October 2026 is packed with festivals, leading to an extensive list of bank holidays. While digital banking services remain active 24/7, many transactions like significant cash deposits, demand drafts, locker access, or cheque clearing still require a visit
to a physical branch. With holidays clustered around weekends, some banking operations could be delayed. Knowing the specific dates your branch is non-operational helps you manage your finances efficiently, ensuring you don’t get caught in a lurch when you need access to essential banking services. It is always wise to complete any urgent bank-related tasks well in advance of a holiday.
One National Holiday, Many Regional Closures
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) categorises holidays into three types: holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real-Time Gross Settlement Holiday, and Banks’ Closing of Accounts. For October, only one holiday applies to all banks nationwide. The rest are regional, meaning a bank might be open in Mumbai but closed in Kolkata on the same day. These state-specific holidays are determined by the prominence of regional festivals. This checklist will help you navigate both the national and the extensive list of regional holidays for the month.
Complete List of Bank Holidays in October 2026
In addition to the holidays listed below, remember that banks across the country remain closed on all Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Here is the definitive date-wise and state-wise list to help you plan accordingly. October 2 (Friday) - Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: All banks across India will be closed for this national holiday. October 10 (Saturday) - Mahalaya Amavasya: Banks will be closed in Bengaluru and Kolkata. October 17 (Saturday) - Maha Saptami: Banks will be non-operational in Agartala. October 19 (Monday) - Dussehra / Maha Navami / Ayudha Pooja / Durga Puja: Branches will be closed in Agartala, Aizawl, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, and Shillong. October 20 (Tuesday) - Dussehra / Vijaya Dashami: This is the most widespread holiday of the month after Gandhi Jayanti. Banks will be closed in most parts of the country except for a few states like Sikkim and Manipur. October 21 (Wednesday) - Vijaya Dasami / Durga Puja: Bank branches will be closed in Agartala, Bengaluru, Gangtok, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram. October 22 & 23 (Thursday & Friday) - Durga Puja / Dasain: Banks will be closed only in Gangtok. October 26 (Monday) - Laxmi Puja / Accession Day / Maharishi Valmiki's Birthday: Banks will be closed in Agartala, Chandigarh, Jammu, Shimla, and Srinagar. October 29 (Thursday) - Karva Chauth: Branches will be closed in Shimla. October 31 (Saturday) - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Birthday: Banks will be closed in Ahmedabad.
Digital Banking Remains Your Go-To Solution
While physical bank branches will be closed on these dates, customers need not worry about their day-to-day transactions. All digital banking channels will remain fully functional. Services like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), internet banking, and mobile banking applications will be available around the clock. You can continue to make payments, transfer funds, and check your account balance without any interruption. ATM services will also be available for cash withdrawals, though it is always a good idea to withdraw sufficient cash ahead of a long string of holidays to avoid any potential shortages at high-traffic machines.
