SRINAGAR — The new year has brought immediate cheer for government employees and students in Jammu & Kashmir. The General Administration Department (GAD) has released the official Holiday Calendar for 2026, and the very first week of January offers a “Long Weekend.”
According to Government Order No. 1894-JK(GAD) of 2025, the UT administration has notified 28 gazetted holidays to be observed throughout the Union Territory.
First Long Weekend: Jan 3 to Jan 5
If you are planning a short trip to Gulmarg or Patnitop, now is the time.
- Jan 3: Saturday (Off for many offices/schools)
- Jan 4: Sunday
- Jan 5 (Monday): Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Birthday
This consecutive 3-day break is the perfect start to 2026. But that’s not all—January 26 (Republic Day) also falls on a Monday, gifting employees another long weekend at the end of the month. Download pdf
Upcoming Holidays (Jan – March 2026)
Here is the official list of holidays for the first quarter of the year. Save this table!
| Date | Day | Occasion |
| Jan 05 | Monday | Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Birthday |
| Jan 17 | Saturday | Shab-i-Miraj* |
| Jan 26 | Monday | Republic Day |
| Feb 15 | Sunday | Mahashivratri |
| Mar 17 | Tuesday | Shab-i-Qadr* |
| Mar 19 | Thursday | 1st Navratra |
| Mar 20 | Friday | Jumat-ul-Vida* |
| Mar 21 | Saturday | Eid-ul-Fitr* / Nauroz |
| Mar 26 | Thursday | Ramanavami |
*Muslim holidays are subject to the appearance of the moon.
Provincial Holidays (Jammu vs Kashmir)
Apart from the common holidays, the government has also notified specific “Provincial Holidays.”
- For Kashmir Province: Friday following Shab-i-Miraj (Jan 23), Mela Kheer Bhawani (June 22), Urs Shah-i-Hamdan Sahib (May 23), and Urs Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Sahib (Oct 08).
- For Jammu Province: Lohri (Jan 13), Guru Ravi Das’s Birthday (Feb 01), and Holi (Mar 04).
Bad News for Some?
While January is packed with holidays, February brings a slight disappointment. The major festival of Mahashivratri (Herath) falls on February 15, which is a Sunday, meaning employees lose a dedicated day off. Similarly, Eid-ul-Fitr is tentatively expected on March 21, which is a Saturday.
FAQs: 2026 Holidays
A: Yes, it is a Gazetted Holiday observed in all government offices and educational institutions across J&K.
A: No. Lohri is a “Provincial Holiday” restricted to the Jammu Province only. Offices in Kashmir will function normally.
A: You can download the full PDF from the GAD website (jkgad.nic.in) under the “Orders” section. Look for Order No. 1894-JK(GAD).
Disclaimer: Dates for Muslim festivals are tentative and subject to moon sightings. Please verify with official administration announcements closer to the date.
