Three national holidays, and a festival list that changes by state
The days most states require every establishment to grant as paid holidays — Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti.
The Three
Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti — mandated as paid holidays by most state Acts.
Plus Festival Holidays
Most states require a further number, selected from a state-notified list. The count and the list both vary.
Working On One
State Acts usually prescribe both compensatory leave and a wage premium. Rostering without accounting for that is a common error.
National holidays must be granted as paid holidays regardless of an establishment's own calendar: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October). Most state National and Festival Holidays Acts mandate these three, and require a further number of festival holidays selected from a state-notified list.
They are not discretionary, and they are not part of an employee's leave entitlement.
Two things catch employers out.
First, the total number of holidays and the list they may be drawn from are state subjects. A company operating in four states cannot publish one holiday calendar and consider the matter closed — the required count differs, the permitted festivals differ, and several festivals fall on different dates in different states in the same year.
Second, where an employee is required to work on a national holiday, the state Act usually prescribes both compensatory leave and a wage premium. Rostering someone onto 15 August without accounting for that is common, easily avoided, and produces exactly the sort of small, widespread underpayment that becomes expensive when corrected across a workforce.
A further practical point: several festival dates are movable and are confirmed only shortly before the year begins. Publishing a calendar with a guessed date and correcting it later causes real disruption for employees who booked travel around it.
National Holiday FAQs
Are the three national holidays paid?
Yes. They are paid holidays under the applicable state Act, and they are not deducted from the employee's leave entitlement.
How many festival holidays must we give?
It depends on the state, and typically the employer selects from a notified list. Confirm the number for each state in which you have a workplace.
Can we ask people to work on Independence Day?
In many operations yes, but the state Act generally requires compensatory leave and a wage premium. Check the position for the specific state before rostering.
Are national holidays the same everywhere?
A small number are common nationally; the rest vary by state, and some are declared close to the date. A single company-wide calendar will be wrong in at least one location.
Can employees be asked to work on one?
Usually with prescribed compensation or a substituted day, and the arrangement needs recording. It is not simply another working day with a different name.
Who decides the annual list?
The employer publishes it within the applicable state requirements, usually before the year starts. Publishing late leaves employees planning around a calendar they do not have.
Stop working this out by hand
Klok applies these rules on every payroll run, from your own attendance and salary data, with the working shown.