India School Holidays (2026)

School year in India usually begins in April. Summer break among schools in India is typically held from May to June. However, school holidays differ according to area. In the Southern part of India, for instance, school begins from June to April.

School holidays in India are not standardized across the country. International schools in India follow a relatively independent schedule, as opposed to local schools. Most schools in India also follow the public holidays that are government announced. For more up-to-date information, please check with the school or education institution.

Below are the school holidays in India for local schools and international schools.

When are the school holidays in India?

Which are the other holidays in India?

Indian Independence Day
Independence Day is celebrated every year during August 15. It is a national holiday in India which marks its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. The Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru raised the flag of India above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi.

Holiday of Ganesh Chaturthi
The holiday of Ganesh Chaturthi is the Hindu Festival celebrating the Hindu God Ganesha, considered the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles, and God of Wisdom and Intelligence. The festival usually takes 10 days during August or September. Believers install clay idols at home and in public where they chant Vedic Hymns and Hindu texts.

They also offer prayers and prasada which is distributed to the community. The 10th Day is the end of the festival, where they carry the idol in a public procession with music and chanting. The idol is then immersed in the river or ocean. This is believed to be the return of Ganesha to Mount Kailash.

Hindu festival of Dussehra
The Holiday of Ganga Dussehra or Gangavataran is a Hindu festival celebrating the descent of the Ganges River. Hindus believe that the river Ganges descended from the heavens. This is usually celebrated during the month of September: Dashami (10th day) of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu calendar month Jyeshtha.

Like other Hindu festivals, this festival also lasts for 10 days. To mark the celebration of this festival, Hindus gather around Ganges river banks and perform a religious ritual. They swim in the river to purify their souls and heal their ailments. Hindus also believe that by taking a dip in the Ganges river, it removes the sins they have committed.

Hindu Festival of Diwali
The Hindu festival of lights is called Diwali. This festival is celebrated every year during autumn (north hemisphere) and Spring (South hemisphere), which falls mid-October or mid-November. The festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness. Hindus celebrate it by hanging lights in their house and windows. They perform rituals for up to 6 days.

They clean or renovate their houses before Diwali and dress up in new clothes. They light up candles inside and outside their homes and perform prayers to the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. It’s also celebrated with family feasts and exchange of gifts.

Christmas
Christmas is considered a state holiday in India. There are only 2.3% of Christians in india. They attend the midnight mass and decorate their houses with Christmas trees and lights. Schools celebrate Christmas with some programs, especially schools run by Christian missionaries.