If you need to complete any essential banking work during the month of October, simply remembering the festival dates will not be enough. Whether you need to deposit a cheque, get a draft made, or visit a branch for any other counter-related task, it is important to know beforehand whether your bank will be open on that day. This is because holidays in October are scheduled on several dates, but these holidays are not uniform across the entire country.
According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar, bank holidays vary based on the state and city. Additionally, banks remain closed every Sunday and on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Therefore, if you plan to visit the bank in October, you must check the holiday dates for your specific city along with the general schedule.
In October 2026, there are some holidays on which bank branches across the country will remain closed. For instance, on Saturday, October 17, banks in Agartala will be closed on the occasion of Maha Saptami, meaning customers in Agartala will have to choose another date for branch-related tasks.
October 19 has holidays in many places due to Maha Ashtami and Durga Puja. Since holidays differ according to the state and city, it is mandatory to check the date of your local bank branch. On October 20, bank branches will be closed in many states due to Dussehra/Vijayadashami and related festivals; according to the available holiday calendar, banks will be closed on this day in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, although the list of cities is not uniform, so check your state's holiday calendar before visiting the bank.
On October 21, some banks will be closed in certain cities due to the Vijayadashami and Durga Puja-Dussehra holiday, and Vijayadashami is also a holiday on this day in some other states. Furthermore, banks in Gangtok will be closed on October 22 and 23 due to Durga Puja-Dussehra.
On October 26, 2026, some banks in specific cities will be closed due to local occasions such as Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day, and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. There can be variations in holidays by city across different holiday calendars, so checking the local holiday calendar is necessary.
Banks will be closed in Shimla on October 29 due to Karwa Chauth, while banks in Ahmedabad will be closed on October 31 on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti. This date is also related to the last Saturday of the month, so it would be advisable to check the local calendar before visiting the branch.
The most attention must be paid to the varying dates according to the state and city in October's bank holidays. For example, in Uttar Pradesh, banks will be primarily closed on October 2, 10, 20, and 24. Banks will also be closed in Delhi on October 2, 10, 20, and 24. Additionally, some northeastern and eastern states have extra holidays due to Durga Puja, Dussehra, and other local festivals. Therefore, it is not correct to assume the same for other states just by looking at the bank holidays in one state.
The closure of a bank branch does not mean that banking services will completely stop. Generally, digital banking services remain active during these holidays. Payments can be made through UPI using Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc., as well as mobile banking, online net banking services, online fund transfers via NEFT, large amount online transfers via RTGS, instant fund transfers via IMPS from the bank's application, cash withdrawal from ATMs, and cash deposit through cash deposit machines where available. However, for tasks like depositing cheques, getting drafts made, or meeting an officer in person, you may have to wait until the bank reopens.