Maharashtra School Holidays October 2026: Complete List of Holidays, Festivals, Long-Weekends
Maharashtra School Holidays October 2026: Students will get holidays for several occasssions in October 2026. Check the complete October holiday list, long-weekend possibility and important dates here.
Maharashtra School Holidays October 2026: School students in Maharashtra will have two major public holidays in October 2026, with Gandhi Jayanti falling on October 2 and Dussehra or Vijayadashami on October 20. Unlike some states that observe an extended autumn or Dussehra vacation, Maharashtra’s holiday calendar currently lists these as individual holidays. Students and parents should also note that Diwali will not fall in October this year and will be celebrated in November.
Ocober is generally an important month in the academic calendar because it brings several festivals and breaks across India. However, the number of school holidays varies from state to state. In Maharashtra, students can expect holidays linked to Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra, while weekends may provide additional days off depending on the school’s regular schedule.
Maharashtra School Holidays October 2026: Complete List
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
| October 20, 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra / Vijayadashami |
The Maharashtra holiday list for 2026 identifies October 2 as Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti and October 20 as Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami).
October 2: Gandhi Jayanti
Schools in Maharashtra will observe a holiday on Friday, October 2, 2026, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti. The day marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and is observed as a national holiday.
Since Gandhi Jayanti falls on a Friday, students who normally have Saturday and Sunday off may get a three-day weekend from October 2 to October 4. However, whether Saturday is a school holiday depends on the institution’s weekly schedule.
Students should therefore check their school’s academic calendar before planning a trip or other activities around the weekend.
October 20: Dussehra Holiday
The second major holiday in Maharashtra during October will be Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The festival is also known as Dasara and marks the conclusion of the Navratri period.
The 2026 Maharashtra holiday list includes October 20 as Dussehra.
Unlike states such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which have longer Dasara vacation periods, Maharashtra is currently listed for the Dussehra holiday itself rather than an extended state-wide school vacation. The exact arrangements can still vary between government schools, private schools and schools affiliated with different boards.
Will Maharashtra Schools Have a Diwali Holiday in October?
No. Students should not include Diwali in the October 2026 holiday list for Maharashtra. Diwali will be celebrated on November 8, 2026, according to the 2026 holiday calendar. The Maharashtra holiday list also includes Diwali (Lakshmi Pujan) on November 8 and Diwali (Balipratipada) on November 9.
This means students looking forward to the main Diwali vacation will have to look at the November school calendar rather than the October schedule.
Maharashtra October 2026 Long Weekends
There is one clear long-weekend opportunity in October for students whose schools follow a Saturday-Sunday weekend.
October 2 to October 4: Gandhi Jayanti falls on Friday, followed by Saturday and Sunday. This can create a three-day break for students whose schools do not hold classes on Saturdays.
There is no similar long weekend around Dussehra because October 20 falls on a Tuesday. Students would need to check their individual school calendar to see whether any additional days are provided around the festival.
What Students Should Check
The holiday dates above are based on the Maharashtra 2026 holiday information, but actual school closures can differ depending on the board and individual institution. Schools may also have their own annual calendars for examinations, local holidays, vacations and working Saturdays.
Students and parents should therefore check their school’s official circular or academic calendar before treating an additional day as a confirmed holiday. The Maharashtra Dussehra holiday is confirmed for October 20, but an extended break should not be assumed unless the school announces it.
With Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 and Dussehra on October 20, Maharashtra students have two major festival-linked holidays in October 2026. The month’s biggest festive break, however, will come later with Diwali in November.
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Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV’s Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department’s social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy. Sahil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
