Holiday Lists In India: Your Complete Guide To National & State Holidays In every organisation, calendar planning and leave management are critical aspects of human resource operations. Whether it’s national holidays, festival breaks, or state-specific mandatory leaves, businesses need accurate and reliable holiday data for compliance and smooth functioning. This is exactly where the Holiday Lists section on Praans Consultech makes a meaningful difference. Here, we break down everything you need to know about holiday calendars in India — from national holidays to state-wise schedules that help employers, HR teams, and professionals stay compliant with labour law requirements.
Why Understanding Official Holiday Lists Matters In India, holidays aren’t just about time off — they are linked with statutory requirements under various labour laws. Each state government publishes official lists of holidays that include mandatory national days (like Republic Day), regional celebrations, and festival holidays relevant to that territory. Employers are legally expected to honour these and incorporate them into workforce planning. Without an up-to-date holiday list: Companies risk non-compliance with labour regulations. Payroll calculations can become inconsistent. Employee leave planning may lead to avoidable conflicts or disruptions. This is where a comprehensive collection of official holiday lists — covering all states and union territories — becomes invaluable.
What You’ll Find On The Holiday Lists Page The Holiday Lists page on Praans Consultech provides a structured overview of official holidays for every state and union territory in India. It is designed to be user-friendly and makes it easy for businesses to quickly find the holiday calendars they need: Coverage Of All States & Union Territories You can access holiday lists for: Andaman & Nicobar Islands Arunachal Pradesh Assam
Bihar Chandigarh Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Goa Delhi Gujarat And all other states/UTs This wide coverage brings all statutory holiday data under one roof, eliminating the need to search through multiple government notifications.
National & Festival Holidays Explained India’s public holidays broadly fall into two major categories: 1. National Holidays National holidays are days recognised across the entire country, such as: Republic Day Independence Day Gandhi Jayanti These holidays are typically compulsory and are mandated under central regulations. For example, Republic Day is observed on 26th January each year and is a fixed public holiday across all states. 2. Festival Holidays Festival holidays vary from state to state depending on regional culture and practices. These might include: Holi
Diwali Eid Christmas Unlike national holidays, festival holidays can differ significantly depending on the state’s demographic and cultural traditions. For example, Holi celebrations may have different dates in different regions but are recognised as festival holidays in most parts of India.
How Holiday Lists Help HR And Payroll Teams Human resource professionals often juggle multiple responsibilities — including leave policy creation, payroll processing, and compliance reporting. Here’s how accurate holiday lists can help : Improved Leave Planning By knowing in advance when official holidays occur, teams can plan employee leaves and rotations without clashes. Predictable calendars help ensure that staffing levels remain optimal throughout the year. Streamlined Payroll Compliance Holiday lists form a key part of payroll calculations — especially when determining paid leaves, bonus eligibility, and working days. Accurate holiday data ensure there are no discrepancies in wage calculation. Labour Law Compliance Each state in India has its own Shops & Establishments Act or equivalent labour framework, which prescribes mandatory holidays. Businesses that adhere to state calendar schedules avoid potential compliance issues.
How To Use The Holiday Lists Page Navigating the holiday list page is straightforward. Once you visit the page, you’ll find a section titled “All States” that lists all regions with their corresponding linked holiday calendars. Clicking on any state name will take you to that particular schedule. There’s also a Quick Access menu that links to: Labour Code resources
Act and Rules documentation Gazette notifications Minimum wages Professional tax, and more These additional links are especially useful if you need deeper insights into compliance beyond just holiday schedules.
Real-World Example: State Holiday Variations Let’s take a practical look at how holiday lists can vary: Example: Bihar In some states like Bihar, alongside national holidays such as Republic Day (26th January), additional festival holidays like Makar Sankranti or Mahashivratri are added based on official government notifications. Example: Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu’s holiday list may include local sabha events like Thiruvalluvar Day or Pongal which are specific to cultural traditions but mandated as compulsory leave for establishments operating in the state. These variations highlight why one central list is not sufficient — and why Praans Consultech’s state-wise breakdown is so valuable.
Benefits To Small & Medium Businesses For MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), managing compliance can often feel overwhelming. Most small businesses don’t have in-house legal or HR experts, making holiday lists an essential free resource that helps them plan without external costs. With accurate holiday lists: Businesses can forecast workload and staffing needs. Temporary staffing and project timelines are easier to sync.
Compliance risks related to labour laws are significantly reduced.
Conclusion: A Must-Have Resource For HR & Business Leaders In summary, holiday lists are more than just dates on a calendar — they are legal tools that ensure workplace harmony and compliance. For any organisation operating in India, having access to accurate, state-wise official holiday lists is an essential part of strategic planning and statutory compliance. By using the holiday lists available on Praans Consultech: You stay legally compliant with labour laws across states. You empower HR teams with data to create balanced leave policies. You reduce errors in workforce planning and payroll. Whether you are a startup founder, an HR professional, or a compliance officer, this resource is designed to save time and help you plan better — one holiday at a time.
