The Uttar Pradesh government has set out the school holidays for November 2026, with several festival closures spread across the month. According to Jagran Josh, the Department of Basic Education and Secondary Education has prescribed the holiday periods for schools across the state. Most of the breaks fall around Diwali in the first half, with more holidays later in the month.
Key points
- Diwali falls on November 8 (Sunday), with Govardhan Puja on November 9 and Bhaiya Dooj on November 11.
- Chhath Puja and Veerangana Uda Devi Martyrdom Day are listed for November 15–16.
- November 24 (Tuesday), Guru Nanak Jayanti, is a closed day for all schools, degree colleges and universities.
- District Magistrates can announce local holidays in some situations.
Diwali break in the first half
As per the report, Diwali is on November 8, a Sunday. State notifications declare holidays for Govardhan Puja on Monday, November 9, and Bhaiya Dooj on Wednesday, November 11. Schools in cities such as Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi may therefore have a continuous break. This can run either from Saturday, November 7 to Wednesday, November 11, or by bridging Tuesday, November 10, between the two holidays.
Chhath Puja and other observances
Chhath Puja is widely observed in the Purvanchal region of eastern Uttar Pradesh, and schools stay closed during the celebrations. The state also recognises Veerangana Uda Devi Martyrdom Day on Monday, November 16. According to the report, this gives some districts two consecutive non-teaching days.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, also called Gurpurab, marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and coincides with Kartik Purnima. November 24 will be a mandatory closed day for all schools, degree colleges and universities in the state. Regular Sunday holidays will also apply through the month.
What differs between school types
Government primary and upper primary schools follow the official holiday list issued by the UP Basic Shiksha Parishad strictly. Institutions run by the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, and private schools following the CBSE and CISCE boards, are also covered by the festival closures. However, the report says autonomous CBSE and ICSE schools can change their timings or add extra working days around the Diwali break.
The report adds that district officials have planned the holidays so that the annual academic schedule is not disturbed.
Local holidays by District Magistrates
Jagran Josh notes that discretionary holidays are common in Uttar Pradesh. District Magistrates usually declare local closures for big bathing festivals such as Kartik Purnima on the Ganges, or in cases of severe smog. Parents and students should check with their school or district office for any such local orders.
For the full dates, families can follow the list above and confirm with their school, since some holidays differ by district and by board.
