October 2026 School Holidays: October 2026 will bring several holidays and festive breaks for school students across India. Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra are the main nationwide holidays, while many states and schools will have extra days off around Navratri, Durga Puja and the autumn break.
The exact number of holidays won’t be the same for every student. State education departments, school boards and individual schools can set different calendars. Students should therefore check their school’s official notice before making travel plans.
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October 2026 School Holiday List
- October 2, Friday: Gandhi Jayanti. Schools across the country will remain closed to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
- October 10 to 22: Autumn or Dussehra break in some schools. The dates can vary depending on the school and state.
- October 11 to 20: Navratri period, with holidays in some regions depending on local school calendars.
- October 16 to 21: Durga Puja break in some schools and states.
- October 19, Monday: Maha Ashtami. Some schools may remain closed as part of the Dussehra or Durga Puja break.
- October 20, Tuesday: Dussehra or Vijayadashami. This is one of the main holidays in October.
- October 26, Monday: Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, observed as a restricted or state-specific holiday in some places.
- October 29, Thursday: Karwa Chauth, which may be a holiday for some schools depending on local rules.
State-Wise October School Breaks
The Dussehra vacation can be much longer in some states. According to current school holiday schedules, Telangana is expected to have a break from October 10 to 22, while Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for October 12 to 21. Schools in Karnataka are expected to have a Dussehra break from October 10 to 21 in many cases.
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In Delhi and NCR, many schools are expected to have an autumn break around October 17 to 20. In Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, the break is expected to be shorter, with holidays around October 19 and 20, although some schools may follow a longer calendar.
Students in Uttar Pradesh can also expect October 2 for Gandhi Jayanti and October 20 for Dussehra, with some schools observing October 21 as part of an extended Dussehra break.
One important point is that Diwali will not fall in October in 2026. Diwali is on November 8, 2026, so most Diwali school vacations will take place in November rather than October.
