March 27, 2026

State Bank of India Holiday List 2026: Saturday, National and State-wise Bank Off-days

Key Takeaways

The Saturday holiday rule is important and easy to remember for SBI customers.

Bank branches remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays every month, besides Sundays and RBI-notified holidays.

The first, third, and fifth Saturdays (whenever applicable) remain working days for SBI staff members. Customers can access regular branch services on these days.

Plan your financial activities efficiently, even without branch visits, by leveraging digital banking options. A clear understanding of this holiday structure helps as well.

Stay informed about SBI’s holiday schedule to manage your personal finances, loan documentation, or regular banking transactions effectively.

This can prevent delays and improve overall banking convenience.

Introduction:

Most modern banks can trace their roots back to the Bank of Hindustan in the late 18th century. However, the three Presidency Banks of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras are commonly credited with laying the foundation of modern-day banking. These institutions merged in 1921 to form the Imperial Bank of India, which was nationalised in 1955 to become the State Bank of India (SBI). With this, banking in India saw an epoch-making transition from colonial-era merchant lending to a structured national system.

Some aspects of banking operations, including bank holidays,
are regulated by the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act of 1881. This Victorian-era law still constitutes the legal basis for bank holidays in India. It protects the legal “maturity date” of financial instruments even when banks remain closed for public transactions on state-mandated holidays or the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.

So, for ages people have been planning their financial tasks such as cash deposits, KYC updates, money transfers, loan documentation, or branch-based services like cheque processing around SBI holidays, so that they don’t face delays. SBI remains closed on national holidays, local festivals, and state-specific holidays, which vary from state-to-state or across Union Territories.

The State Bank of India (SBI) has solidified its position as India's largest public sector lender and a global leader in consumer banking, with a massive customer base of over 52 crore (520 million) as of the end of the 2024–25 financial year. Many customers diligently maintain a calendar marking the Saturday holiday schedule to prevent unnecessary branch visits.

SBI and all other scheduled banks follow the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-regulated standard weekly holiday structure. Many people still presume that banks are closed on all Saturdays, but that’s not the case. SBI branches remain open on specific Saturdays.

Ever visited a bank on a wrong Saturday only to find the shutters down? You then already know why this holiday rule matters.

Here’s a complete guide explaining the SBI Saturday holiday rule, the regulatory framework behind it, the full list of Saturday holidays, and how customers can plan their banking activities accordingly.

Regulatory Framework Behind SBI Saturday Holidays

The State Bank of India (SBI) follows guidelines issued by the RBI for the holiday schedule. The RBI, India’s central banking authority, regulates banking operations across the country.

Among other functions, the RBI regulates the working schedule of banks under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Based on this framework, a uniform banking holiday structure applies to all scheduled commercial banks, including public sector banks, private banks, and cooperative banks.

Under this system:

Banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.
All Sundays are bank holidays.
Banks also follow national holidays and regional holidays as notified by the RBI in its annual state-wise holiday calendar.

An agreement was signed between the government, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), and banking unions in 2015 to institutionalise banking work schedules across India.

Since September 1, 2015, SBI branches have remained open on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays (if applicable), allowing customers to access branch services while maintaining a balanced work schedule for staffers.

Every year, the RBI publishes a state-wise bank holiday calendar. Banks observe additional holidays based on regional festivals, cultural observances, and local events. This calendar keeps banking operations consistent nationwide while accommodating state-specific holidays.

What is the SBI Saturday Holiday Rule?

The State Bank of India operates under the banking holiday schedule prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India.

According to this framework:

SBI branches remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, apart from Sundays and notified public holidays.
They operate on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays (if a month has 5 Saturdays).

This rule also applies to all public sector banks, private banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks operating in India.

The RBI introduced the regulation to standardise banking work schedules across the country while also giving bank employees a more balanced workweek without disrupting smooth workflow and customer services.

Banks in India Are Closed on Specific Saturdays: Here’s Why

Before 2015, banks in India operated six days a week and the holidays were limited.

But the new work schedule was introduced to build in place a balanced five-and-a-half-day working system, where:

Banks remain open Monday to Friday.
Only 2 Saturdays each month are holidays.
The remaining Saturdays continue to serve customers.

This arrangement reduced operational pressure on employees significantly without hampering the flow of services.

Since then, the second-and-fourth Saturday holiday structure is a nationwide banking norm supervised by the RBI.

Month-wise SBI Saturday Holiday List

Below is a list of Saturday holidays of SBI in a calendar year based on the RBI rule.

Month	Second Saturday	Fourth Saturday
January	10 January	24 January
February	14 February	28 February
March	14 March	28 March
April	11 April	25 April
May	9 May	23 May
June	13 June	27 June
July	11 July	25 July
August	8 August	22 August
September	12 September	26 September
October	10 October	24 October
November	14 November	28 November
December	12 December	26 December

On these dates, SBI branches across India do not operate.

In addition to this, regional festivals such as Ugadi, Bihu, Onam, or local foundation days may see bank branch closures. So, the RBI publishes state-wise holiday calendars every year to reflect these variations.

SBI 2026 Complete Holiday Calendar

Date	Day	Holiday / Occasion	Applicability
1 Jan 2026	Thursday	New Year’s Day	Selected states
3 Jan 2026	Saturday	Hazrat Ali Jayanti	Uttar Pradesh
10 Jan 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
11 Jan 2026	Sunday	Missionary Day	Mizoram
14 Jan 2026	Wednesday	Makar Sankranti / Pongal	Several states
24 Jan 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
26 Jan 2026	Monday	Republic Day	Across India
14 Feb 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
15 Feb 2026	Sunday	Maha Shivaratri	Several states
28 Feb 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
4 Mar 2026	Wednesday	Holi	Many states
14 Mar 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
20 Mar 2026	Thursday	Ugadi	Southern states
21 Mar 2026	Saturday	Eid-ul-Fitr	Several states
26 Mar 2026	Thursday	Ram Navami	Several states
28 Mar 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
31 Mar 2026	Tuesday	Mahavir Jayanti	Many states
3 Apr 2026	Friday	Good Friday	Across India
11 Apr 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
14 Apr 2026	Tuesday	Dr Ambedkar Jayanti	Many states
25 Apr 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
1 May 2026	Friday	Labour Day / Maharashtra Day / Buddha Purnima	Several states
9 May 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
23 May 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
13 Jun 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
26 Jun 2026	Friday	Muharram	Many states
27 Jun 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
11 Jul 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
16 Jul 2026	Thursday	Ratha Yatra	Odisha, Manipur
25 Jul 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
8 Aug 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
15 Aug 2026	Saturday	Independence Day	Across India
16 Aug 2026	Sunday	Parsi New Year	Gujarat, Maharashtra
22 Aug 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
25 Aug 2026	Tuesday	Eid-e-Milad	Many states
27 Aug 2026	Thursday	Thiruvonam (Onam)	Kerala
28 Aug 2026	Friday	Raksha Bandhan	Several states
4 Sep 2026	Friday	Janmashtami	Many states
12 Sep 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
15 Sep 2026	Tuesday	Ganesh Chaturthi	Several states
16 Sep 2026	Wednesday	Ganesh Chaturthi Holiday	Goa
21 Sep 2026	Monday	Ramdev Jayanti	Rajasthan
26 Sep 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
2 Oct 2026	Friday	Gandhi Jayanti	Across India
10 Oct 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
21 Oct 2026	Wednesday	Vijaya Dashami / Dussehra	Many states
24 Oct 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
8 Nov 2026	Sunday	Diwali	Many states
9 Nov 2026	Monday	Diwali Holiday	Several states
14 Nov 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
24 Nov 2026	Tuesday	Guru Nanak Jayanti	Several states
28 Nov 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India
12 Dec 2026	Saturday	Second Saturday	Across India
25 Dec 2026	Friday	Christmas	Across India
26 Dec 2026	Saturday	Fourth Saturday	Across India

The Working Saturdays for SBI

SBI branches remain fully operational on:

First Saturday
Third Saturday
Fifth Saturday (if applicable)

On working Saturdays, the bank branches follow regular banking hours, generally from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Exact timings may vary across branches and states.

On these days customers can utilise these services at their bank branches:

Cash deposits and withdrawals
Cheque clearing and issuance
Account opening and KYC updates
Loan enquiries and documentation
Demand draft issuance
Locker access

Banking Services You Can Avail on SBI Holidays?

Even on Saturdays or Sundays, you can avail the following banking services:

Digital banking services available

Customers can access:

Internet banking
Mobile banking applications
ATM withdrawals and deposits
UPI transfers
NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS transactions
Debit card and credit card payments

Digital banking infrastructure operates 24/7. Thus, financial transactions can continue uninterrupted and securely, even during holidays.

However, digital banking cannot support locker operations, account closures or any other services that require physical verification or documentation. A branch visit on working days is imperative.

How SBI Saturday Holidays Affect Customers

For customers, the Saturday holiday rule has practical implications.

1. Planning branch visits

For branch-related services such as KYC updates, loan processing, or locker access, you must plan your bank branch visit on a working Saturday or weekday.

2. Avoiding long queues

You might experience long queues on working Saturdays. Many people can’t visit banks during weekdays. Plan your work accordingly to avoid long waiting times because of higher footfall.

3. Using digital banking alternatives

You can complete your routine financial tasks such as fund transfers, bill payments, or balance checks via digital banking channels even during holidays.

SBI vs Other Bank Holidays

The Saturday holiday rule is a small part of the broader bank holiday structure in India.

In addition to second and fourth Saturdays, banks also remain closed on:

All Sundays
National holidays such as Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti
Regional and religious holidays notified by the RBI
State-specific observances

As a result, the bank holiday list varies from state to state and across UTs.

How to Check SBI Holidays in Your State**

Some bank holidays are regional, verify your branch availability before visiting.

You can check SBI holidays through:

The RBI’s official state-wise bank holiday calendar
SBI’s official website or branch notices
Banking apps or financial portals
Customer care or branch helplines

This is particularly important during festival seasons when multiple holidays may fall in the same week.

Future Possibility: A Five-Day Banking Week

News has it that the banking industry stakeholders are internally weighing the options of shifting to a full five-day workweek, similar to the stock market and insurance sector.

Banking unions and the Indian Banks’ Association have rallied a great deal of support for the proposal of declaring all Saturdays as holidays. However, to date, the government has not implemented this reported recommendation, and the existing second-and-fourth Saturday rule continues to be applicable.

Such a policy change in future could significantly alter banking operations and customer service schedules.

FAQs

Are SBI branches closed on all Saturdays?

No. SBI branches are not closed on every Saturday. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) banking holiday guidelines, banks are closed only on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Branches are operational on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays.

Is SBI open on the first and third Saturdays?

Yes. SBI branches function as usual on the first and third Saturdays of the month. Customers can avail services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, loan enquiries, KYC updates, and locker operations by visiting branches during regular banking hours.

Why are banks closed on the second and fourth Saturdays?

The second-and-fourth Saturday holiday system was introduced in 2015 following an agreement among the government, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), and banking unions. The regulation was implemented under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and it created a standardised banking work schedule across the country.

Are SBI digital banking services available on Saturdays and holidays?

Yes. Even when branches are closed, SBI customers can still access digital banking services 24/7, including:

Internet banking
Mobile banking apps
UPI transfers
ATM withdrawals and deposits
NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS transactions
Bill payments and account balance checks

Are SBI holidays the same across all states in India?

No, not always. While second and fourth Saturdays and Sundays are nationwide holidays, additional bank holidays vary by state and union territories due to regional festivals and local observances. These holidays are notified each year through the RBI’s state-wise bank holiday calendar.

Can I visit an SBI branch on a working Saturday for all banking services?

Yes. On working Saturdays (first, third, and fifth Saturdays), most regular banking services are available, including account opening, cheque deposits, demand drafts, and loan documentation. However, branch timings and specific services may vary slightly by location, so it is advisable to check with your local branch beforehand.

How can I check the SBI holiday list for my city?

You can verify SBI holidays through:

The RBI’s official bank holiday calendar
The State Bank of India website
Your SBI mobile banking app
Branch notices or customer support helplines

Check the holiday calendar in advance to avoid unnecessary branch visits.

Will banks in India move to a five-day workweek?

There have been talks about making all Saturdays bank holidays, creating a five-day banking week. However, as of now, the second-and-fourth Saturday holiday rule stays in effect, and no nationwide change has been officially declared or implemented.