The final week of August and the first half of September are set to bring a string of festival-linked holidays for school students across several parts of India. With Eid-e-Milad, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Onam, and Ganesh Chaturthi falling during this period, students may get several breaks from regular classes.School holidays are not uniform across India. The dates followed by a CBSE-affiliated school in one state may not necessarily apply to another school, even if both institutions follow the same board.For parents and students, therefore, the festival calendar may offer a welcome break, but the school’s own academic calendar remains the final word.
August brings multiple festival holidays
In Noida and parts of Uttar Pradesh, the 2026 school holiday calendar lists several important dates towards the end of August and in early September.According to the calendar cited for CBSE schools in the region, the following dates have been marked as holidays:
- August 25, Tuesday — Eid-e-Milad
- August 28, Friday — Raksha Bandhan
- September 4, Friday — Janmashtami
Schools such as Jaypee Public School, Greater Noida, and SKS World School, among others, follow holiday schedules broadly aligned with the applicable local calendar.But even within the same region, differences can emerge. Some schools have marked August 26 as the holiday for Eid-e-Milad instead of August 25.
Onam 2026: Kerala schools may see a longer festive break
Kerala’s festival calendar adds another major holiday period to the end of August.Thiruvonam, the principal day of Onam, will be observed on August 26, 2026. The festival period also includes First Onam on August 25, followed by Third Onam on August 27 and Fourth Onam on August 28.For students in Kerala, the Onam period can therefore translate into multiple days away from classrooms, depending on the academic calendar followed by their respective schools.The dates also overlap with other festival observances, making the final week of August particularly busy from the perspective of school calendars.
Ganesh Chaturthi to bring another major break in September
The festival calendar does not end with August. Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi, falls on September 14, 2026. The festival is particularly significant in Maharashtra, but it is also observed in several other states, including Karnataka, Goa and Telangana.Whether schools close on September 14, however, depends on the holiday notification applicable to the particular state and institution.In some places, schools may declare a holiday, while others may follow a different academic schedule. Private schools can also have institution-specific calendars, even when they are affiliated with national boards such as CBSE or ICSE.
Why school holiday dates can differ
India’s school holiday system is not governed by a single nationwide calendar. State governments issue holiday notifications based on regional festivals, public holidays and administrative requirements. Schools then incorporate these dates into their academic calendars. Private institutions may also make adjustments based on their own schedules.This is why two CBSE schools in different states can have different holidays despite following the same national curriculum framework.There can also be differences between schools in the same city. One institution may observe a festival as a full holiday, while another may treat it as a restricted holiday or adjust its timetable to compensate for the lost instructional day.Working Saturdays are another factor. Schools sometimes use Saturdays to make up for additional holidays during a festival-heavy month.
