Complete Guide to Bank Holidays in January: RBI’s Official Calendar

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the official list of bank holidays for January 2025, outlining closures across various states in the country. As per the RBI holiday calendar, banks will remain open on January 4, which falls on the first Saturday of the month. This is in line with the RBI’s policy of keeping banks operational on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays, unless a specific holiday falls on these dates.

It is essential for customers to note that banks will be closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of January 2025, as well as Sundays, due to public holidays. Therefore, bank customers should plan their visits accordingly, especially for essential banking services. In addition to the fixed Saturdays, several regional and national holidays will impact banking operations in various parts of India. Below is a breakdown of significant holidays in January 2025:

- January 6: Banks in Chandigarh will be closed in observance of Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday. This regional holiday will affect bank operations in the city.

- January 11: Banks in Aizawl and Imphal will observe Missionary Day/Imoinu Iratpa. This closure will also coincide with the second Saturday of the month, which is a bank holiday nationwide.

- January 14: Multiple states will observe holidays for Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and other regional festivities. Affected cities include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad (both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Itanagar, Kanpur, and Lucknow.

- January 15: Banks in Chennai will be closed in celebration of Thiruvalluvar Day, a significant cultural event in Tamil Nadu.

- January 16: Uzhavar Thirunal, another important Tamil festival, will lead to bank closures in Chennai on this day.

- January 23: A national holiday will observe the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, with banks closed in Agartala, Bhubaneswar, and Kolkata.

- January 25: The fourth Saturday will result in nationwide bank closures.

- January 26: Republic Day, celebrated across the country, will also result in a nationwide bank holiday.

In addition to national holidays, regional holidays will affect banking operations in different states. Here’s a summary of specific dates when banks will be closed in various regions:

- January 6: Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday - Chandigarh

- January 11: Missionary Day/Imoinu Iratpa - Aizawl, Imphal

- January 14: Makar Sankranti/Pongal - Multiple cities across India

- January 15: Thiruvalluvar Day - Chennai

- January 16: Uzhavar Thirunal - Chennai

- January 23: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Birth Anniversary - Agartala, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata

- January 25: Fourth Saturday (Bank Closure Nationwide)

- January 26: Republic Day - Nationwide

While physical bank branches may be closed on holidays, customers can still access online banking services, mobile apps, and ATMs for basic transactions such as fund transfers, bill payments, and cash withdrawals. As per the RBI holiday schedule, January 2025 will see several regional holidays alongside the standard second and fourth Saturday closures.