Jammu and Kashmir School Holidays 2026: The Jammu and Kashmir school holiday calendar for the year 2026 provides a well-organized combination of the various types of holidaysz those declared by the national government, the regional festivals, the local observances, and even the long winter break. The official holiday list of the Union Territory released in Government Order No. 1894-JK(GAD) of 2025, applies to all government offices and educational institutions including schools up to the Higher Secondary level.
Jammu and Kashmir School Holidays 2026: Key Dates
Due to extreme sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall during the peak winter months, the government has phased holiday schedules for different class levels:
Pre-Primary (Balvatika): November 26, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Schools reopen on March 1, 2026.
Classes 1–8: December 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Students return on March 1, 2026.
Classes 9–12: December 11, 2025 – February 22, 2026
The Jammu Division’s summer (non-winter) areas, on the other hand, have a short winter break: the shorter winter break runs from December 22, 2025, to January 10, 2026, for pre-primary to class 5; December 26, 2025, to January 10, 2026, for classes 6-8; and December 29, 2025, to January 10, 2026, for classes 9-12.
Apart from seasonal vacations, the 2026 calendar includes the main national holidays which will be recognized by schools all over Jammu and Kashmir as non-working days, such as:
- Republic Day – January 26, 2026
- Mahashivratri – February 15, 2026
- Independence Day – August 15, 2026
- Dussehra & Mahanavami – October 20, 2026
- Diwali – November 8, 2026
- Christmas Day – December 25, 2026
January 2026 Calendar With Holidays: Festivals, Ekadashi, Amavasya, Purnima, and Important Days
Regional and Local Holiday
The calendar also displays regional differences besides the holidays that are observed universally. Provincial holidays differ in Kashmir and Jammu areas, emphasizing the cultural and historical celebrations that are exclusive to each:
- Friday following Shab-i-Miraj – January 23, 2026
- Urs Shah-i-Hamdan Sahib – May 23, 2026
- Mela Khir Bhawani – June 22, 2026
- Urs Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Sahib – October 8, 2026
- Lohri – January 13, 2026
- Shri Guru Ravi Das’s Birthday – February 1, 2026
- Holi – March 4, 2026
Some national festivals like Raksha Bandhan and particular religious or community memorials are marked as restricted holidays, permitting observance at one’s discretion according to individual choice or community tradition.
