The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the bank holiday that was earlier planned for Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Earlier, banks were expected to remain closed on this day because of Mahavir Jayanti in some states.
However, according to the latest order issued by the RBI, banks will now remain open on March 31, 2026.
This means customers will be able to use all essential banking services on that day, including branch visits, cash transactions, cheque clearing, and government-related banking work.
Why Did RBI Cancel the Holiday?
March 31 is the last day of the financial year in India. On this day, all government accounts, financial records, receipts, and payments must be completed and finalized.
To ensure that all government financial transactions are properly recorded before the financial year ends, the government requested the RBI to keep banks open on March 31, 2026.
Following this request, the RBI instructed all agency banks to keep their branches open, especially those branches involved in government-related work.
Earlier, according to the RBI holiday calendar, banks were supposed to remain closed on March 31 due to Mahavir Jayanti in several states such as:
Gujarat
Maharashtra
Karnataka
Madhya Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
New Delhi
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Jharkhand
But now, despite the festival holiday in these states, banks will operate normally on March 31, 2026.
Bank Holidays in February 2026
Apart from March 31, there are several other bank holidays in February 2026 in different states:
February 18, 2026 (Sikkim): Banks will be closed on the occasion of the Losar Festival.
February 19, 2026 (Maharashtra): Banks will remain closed due to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti.
February 20, 2026 (Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh): Banks will be closed for Statehood Day / State Formation Day.
These holidays are state-specific, so banks may remain open in other parts of the country.
Bank Holidays in March 2026
In March 2026, banks will remain closed on different dates in various states due to festivals and religious occasions:
March 2, 3, and 4: Banks will be closed in some states due to Holi celebrations.
March 13: Chapchar Kut festival will lead to bank closures in certain regions.
March 17: Banks will be closed in some states due to Shab-e-Qadr.
March 19: Banks will remain closed in different states for multiple festivals such as Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Telugu New Year Day, Sajibu Nongmapanaba (Cheiraoba), and the first day of Navratri.
March 20 and 21: Banking operations may be affected in some states due to Eid.
March 26 and 27: Banks will be closed in some regions due to Ram Navami.
In addition to these festival holidays:
Sundays are weekly bank holidays across India.
Second and fourth Saturdays are also bank holidays in most states.
Because of these multiple holidays, customers are advised to plan their banking work in advance.
Who Is Affected by Bank Holidays?
Bank holidays mainly affect services that require a physical visit to a bank branch. These include:
Cash deposits and withdrawals at branches
Cheque-related services
Account-related queries that need branch support
Government-related banking work
However, digital banking services are usually not affected. Customers can still use:
Internet banking
Mobile banking apps
ATMs
UPI payments
Online fund transfers
Important Advice for Bank Customers
Since many holidays fall in February and March, customers should plan their banking activities carefully, especially important transactions related to the financial year-end.
The decision to keep banks open on March 31, 2026, will help ensure that government financial processes are completed smoothly and customers do not face major disruptions at the end of the financial year.
