Durga Puja 2026: So, how many days will schools and colleges in West Bengal be closed for Durga Puja under the new government? The holidays start from Maha Chaturthi on October 15. After Dashami on October 21, there are extra holidays
With the new year, many administrative rules in the state have changed, including the government holiday list. This has made students, parents, and teachers curious: under the new BJP government, how long will the Durga Puja break for schools and colleges actually be?
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Durga Puja
Are the Puja holidays getting longer for schools and colleges? The government has already published the official holiday list for 2026. According to the list, everyone can look forward to a long, continuous break during the festive season.
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State Holiday List
According to the state government's holiday list, the 2026 Durga Puja vacation starts on Thursday, October 15 (Maha Chaturthi). This is followed by holidays on Friday, October 16 (Maha Panchami) and Saturday, October 17 (Maha Shashthi). Maha Saptami falls on a Sunday, October 18, which is a weekly holiday anyway.
The main festival days are all covered. You get holidays for Maha Ashtami on Monday, October 19, Maha Nabami on Tuesday, October 20, and Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday, October 21. But the break doesn't stop there. The government has also listed extra holidays on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23.
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Holiday List
The holidays continue with an extra day off on Saturday, October 24. Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday, October 25, and there's an additional holiday for it on Monday, October 26. This means the official holiday period runs from October 15 to October 26, including weekends.
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Vacation
This long break is great news for students. However, it's important to remember that the state's general holiday list and your school's own academic calendar might not match perfectly. Schools, colleges, and the education department may issue their own circulars with the final dates.
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List
The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education has also listed the Durga Puja holidays from October 15 to October 26 in its published list. So, if you're a student or a parent planning a family trip this Puja, you can start checking these dates and make your plans now.
