Bank Holiday Alert: The festival season is in full swing across the nation. As a result, bank branch operations will experience disruptions this week. Based on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) official holiday schedule, both public and private banks will shut down in virtually all major cities nationwide on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to observe Dussehra/Vijayadashami.
Earlier on Monday, October 19th, numerous banks closed their doors in several states, namely Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, in celebration of Mahanavami. These back-to-back holidays created a three- to four-day extended weekend for many states. That said, net banking, mobile banking, UPI, and bank ATM services will continue running smoothly without any disruption.
Next week’s bank holiday list
Here’s the full breakdown of bank holidays across different states and circles throughout this week of October:
Tuesday (October 20): Banks will be closed throughout the country (with the exception of some northeastern states) to mark Vijayadashami/Dussehra.
Wednesday (October 21): Banks will be closed in North-Eastern states (such as Assam, Tripura) in observance of Durga Puja/Vijayadashami.
Saturday (October 24): As the fourth Saturday of the month, all banks nationwide will observe their regular holiday.
Sunday (October 25): Banks across the nation will remain closed for the weekly holiday.
How to handle your important tasks during bank holidays?
There’s no reason to stress about October’s bank holidays due to festival celebrations, since the majority of banking services are accessible round-the-clock online. Even when physical bank branches are unavailable, you can take advantage of UPI (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm), internet banking, and mobile banking to complete your financial transactions effortlessly.
Additionally, ATMs and cash deposit machines near you are always operational for quick cash withdrawals or deposits. Schedule branch-based tasks, such as check clearance or draft processing, for after the holidays or complete them in advance. For emergency fund transfers, use IMPS, which allows for instant credit to another account, even on bank holidays.