Jammu And Kashmir School Holidays In October 2026: Complete List, Long-Weekends, Festive Breaks

J&K School Holidays October 2026: Students in Jammu and Kashmir will have holidays linked to Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra and Accession Day in October 2026. The Jammu and Kashmir General Administration Department’s holiday order for 2026 applies the listed holidays to government offices as well as educational institutions across the Union Territory. October will also have the regular Saturday-Sunday weekends, giving students a few opportunities for extended breaks. 

The month begins with Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday on October 2, followed by Mahanavami and Dussehra on October 20. Another important J&K-specific holiday, Accession Day, will be observed on October 26. Students should note that Diwali is not included in the October holiday list as it falls on November 8, 2026. 

Jammu Kashmir School Holidays October 2026: Complete List

The holiday dates are based on the J&K government’s 2026 calendar. The order lists October 2 as Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, October 20 as Mahanavami and Dussehra, and October 26 as Accession Day. 

October 2: Gandhi Jayanti Holiday

Schools in J&K will observe a holiday on Friday, October 2, for Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday. Since the holiday falls on a Friday, students whose schools remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays can get a three-day break from October 2 to October 4.

The holiday is included in the official J&K calendar applicable to educational institutions. 

October 20: Mahanavami and Dussehra

The next major holiday falls on Tuesday, October 20, when J&K will observe Mahanavami and Dussehra. Both occasions are listed against the same date in the Union Territory’s official 2026 holiday notification. 

Dussehra marks the culmination of the Navratri period and is observed as Vijayadashami in different parts of the country. Students should not automatically assume that schools will provide several days of an autumn or Dussehra vacation around this date. The J&K government’s notification lists October 20 as the holiday, while individual schools may have additional breaks under their own academic calendars.

October 26: Accession Day

Monday, October 26, will be a holiday in J&K for Accession Day. The date is specifically included in the Union Territory’s 2026 holiday list.

Because Accession Day falls on a Monday and is preceded by Saturday and Sunday, students following a regular five-day school week could get another three-day break from October 24 to October 26.

Long Weekends in J&K October 2026

October 2026 offers two potential three-day breaks for students whose schools remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays:

• October 2 to 4: Gandhi Jayanti + Saturday + Sunday
• October 24 to 26: Saturday + Sunday + Accession Day
• There is no similar long weekend around Dussehra because October 20 falls on a Tuesday.

Students should check their school’s academic calendar before making plans, particularly if their institution conducts classes on Saturdays.

Is There a Long Dussehra or Diwali Break?

The official J&K government holiday notification does not list a separate multi-day Dussehra vacation. Instead, October 20 is listed as Mahanavami/Dussehra. Therefore, students should not assume that the entire Navratri or Dussehra period will be a school holiday unless their school has announced additional vacation days. 

Similarly, Diwali will not bring a holiday in October 2026. The official J&K calendar lists Diwali on November 8, 2026, so students looking for the Diwali break should refer to the November school calendar. 

What Students Should Keep in Mind

The J&K government’s 2026 holiday order provides the common holiday framework for educational institutions, but schools can have their own academic calendars, working Saturdays and additional institutional breaks. Therefore, students and parents should check the latest circular issued by their respective school before treating a weekend or additional day as a confirmed school holiday.

Overall, October 2026 will have three official holiday dates for J&K educational institutions — October 2, October 20 and October 26 — apart from regular weekends. The placement of Gandhi Jayanti and Accession Day creates two potential long weekends for students following a Saturday-Sunday weekly holiday schedule.