Patna: With just four days left for the New Year, 2026 is being seen as a year of hope and opportunity for the people of Bihar. The year is expected to bring major developments on the employment front, along with a packed holiday calendar for government employees and students across the state.
According to official plans, the new government is set to provide jobs to more than two lakh youths in 2026. At the same time, government employees in Bihar will get a total of 54 days of holidays during the year, including public, optional and court holidays, offering multiple long weekends and extended breaks around major festivals.
54 Days of Holidays for Government Employees
The Nitish Kumar government has released the official holiday calendar for 2026. As per the calendar, government employees will get 54 days of holidays in total. Out of these, 10 fall on Sundays, leaving 44 effective holidays. Notably, 10 holidays fall on Fridays, creating the possibility of long weekends.
The holiday list includes 11 days of general holidays, during which all government offices will remain closed. In addition, 20 public holidays have been declared. Employees will also be entitled to 22 optional or restricted holidays, which can be availed based on personal or religious preferences. However, an employee can use a maximum of three optional holidays in a year. One day has been earmarked for annual account closing, on which government offices will remain shut.
Officials said the 2026 holiday calendar has been prepared with a balanced representation of Hindu and Muslim festivals.
Festival-wise Long Holiday Breaks
Several festivals in 2026 will offer extended breaks for government employees:
Republic Day: January 26 falls on a Monday. With optional holidays on January 23 (Vasant Panchami) and January 24 (Karpoori Thakur Jayanti), followed by Sunday on January 25, employees can get up to four consecutive days off.
Holi: Holika Dahan on March 2 is an optional holiday, while Holi will be celebrated on March 3 and 4. With Sunday on March 1, a four-day break is possible.
Muharram: June 26 is a public holiday, June 27 is optional, and June 28 is a Sunday, offering a three-day break.
Raksha Bandhan: August 23 is a Sunday, August 24 (last Monday of Sawan) is an optional holiday, August 26 is a public holiday for Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary, and Raksha Bandhan falls on August 28. With leave on August 25 and 27, employees can plan a six-day break.
Durga Puja: Holidays are scheduled from October 18 to 21, offering four consecutive days off.
Chhath Puja: Optional holiday on November 14 (Kharna), followed by public holidays on November 15 and 16, allowing a three-day break.
10 Fridays Can Turn Into Long Weekends
The holiday calendar includes 10 Fridays that can be converted into long weekends by combining them with Saturdays and Sundays. Key dates include Vasant Panchami (January 23), Ramzan’s last Friday (March 13), Raksha Bandhan (August 28), Anant Chaturdashi (September 25), Good Friday (April 3), May Day and Buddha Purnima (May 1), Janmashtami (September 4), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) and Christmas (December 25).
65 Holidays for Government School Students
Government school students in Bihar will get 65 days of holidays in 2026. The education department has listed 75 holidays, including 10 Sundays. These holidays include festival breaks, seasonal vacations and public holidays.
Types of Government Holidays in Bihar
Bihar follows five categories of government holidays: gazetted holidays declared by the state government, restricted or optional holidays chosen by employees, weekly holidays (usually Sundays), special local holidays declared at district or divisional levels, and emergency or special holidays announced during disasters, elections or other exceptional situations.
Six Types of Leave for Government Employees
Government employees in Bihar are entitled to various types of leave, including Casual Leave (CL) of 13 days per year, Special Leave for health-related reasons, Medical Leave of up to 250 days during service tenure, Earned or Privilege Leave that can be accumulated up to 300 days, Maternity Leave of 180 days with full pay, and Paternity Leave of 15 days for male employees up to two children.
Officials said the combination of large-scale recruitment plans, a favourable holiday calendar and multiple long weekends is expected to make 2026 a significant year for Bihar’s workforce and youth alike.
