As the year-end rush picks up, many customers are trying to squeeze in last-minute branch visits for cash deposits, cheque-related work, KYC/document updates, or account-related paperwork. But late December also brings a common source of confusion: banks may be open in one state and closed in another, depending on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) holiday calendar—on top of the nationwide Saturday/Sunday closures.
Here’s what India’s official holiday matrix and multiple major news reports indicate about bank branch operations on Friday, December 26, 2025, and Saturday, December 27, 2025, including how Christmas celebrations and Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti add to the confusion. Reserve Bank of India
Are banks closed on Saturday, December 27, 2025?
Yes. Bank branches across India are closed on Saturday, December 27, 2025, because it is the fourth Saturday of the month—a standard nationwide bank holiday pattern. Jagran
The RBI has long followed the rule that banks observe a public holiday on the second and fourth Saturdays, and the RBI holiday matrix itself reiterates this at the bottom of the page. Reserve Bank of India
Several outlets also specifically flagged December 27 as the “last Saturday of 2025” and confirmed that major banks (including SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, PNB and others) remain shut for in-branch services nationwide. Jagran
When do branches reopen?
Since December 28, 2025 is a Sunday (weekly holiday), the next regular working day for branches in most places is Monday, December 29, 2025. Ndtv
Is Friday, December 26, 2025 a bank holiday?
It depends on your state/city. December 26 is not a nationwide bank holiday—but banks are closed in select locations due to Christmas celebrations listed in the RBI holiday calendar. Reserve Bank of India
Where are banks closed on December 26, 2025?
Multiple reports—citing the RBI calendar—indicate that banks are closed on December 26 in:
- Mizoram
- Meghalaya
- Nagaland mint
City-wise, the closure is commonly reported for:
- Aizawl (Mizoram)
- Shillong (Meghalaya)
- Kohima (Nagaland) Jansatta
The RBI’s official holiday matrix for December 2025 includes “Christmas Celebration” on the 26th in its holiday descriptions for the month, reflecting these region-specific closures. Reserve Bank of India
What about the rest of India on December 26?
In most other states and union territories, banks operate normally on Friday, December 26, subject to local holiday rules and branch timing. mint
Why “Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti” caused extra confusion this year
A major reason customers searched “bank holiday today” on December 27 is that Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti was being observed the same day, and several states treated it as a public holiday for schools/colleges and government offices. ABP News
But for bank customers, the key point is practical:
- Even if your state observes Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti as a public holiday, banks were already shut nationwide on December 27 because it’s the fourth Saturday. Reserve Bank of India
So, for most people, the deciding factor for “Are banks open today?” on December 27 wasn’t the festival—it was the Saturday bank-holiday rule.
What services work when bank branches are closed?
Even when branches are shut, most digital payment rails continue to function—though some branch-dependent services (especially cash/cheque/physical paperwork) can’t be completed until the next working day.
Digital payments that typically remain available
UPI: NPCI, which runs UPI, describes it as enabling 24/7 transfers, including on Sundays and bank holidays. NPCI
NEFT: RBI’s NEFT FAQs state that NEFT is available 24x7x365, operating in half-hourly batches. Reserve Bank of India
RTGS: RBI’s RTGS FAQs state RTGS is available 24x7x365 (in effect since December 14, 2020). Reserve Bank of India
ATMs & mobile/internet banking: Most banks continue ATM access and app-based services on holidays, but ATM cash availability can vary by location and demand (especially around festivals and year-end weekends). mint
Services that may be delayed until the next working day
Even if digital payments are live, these often require branch/clearing operations and may be impacted by holidays:
- Cheque deposits and cheque clearing timelines
- In-branch cash deposits/withdrawals
- Locker access (branch-dependent)
- Physical document submission, KYC updates, certain account service requests
The RBI’s older operational framework for Saturday holidays also highlighted that certain payment/clearing operations were traditionally not run on second/fourth Saturdays—an important reminder that branch holidays can affect settlement workflows even when apps still work. Reserve Bank of India
How to check if banks are closed in your city
For the most reliable answer, use the RBI Holiday Matrix and select:
- Your Regional Office / city
- Month: December
- Year: 2025 Reserve Bank of India
Also check:
- Your bank’s mobile app notifications
- Branch locator pages (for local working hours and exceptions)
- Customer care alerts (especially for regional closures like those in the Northeast during extended Christmas celebrations) mint
Year-end tip: plan around the late-December closure cluster
Late December typically compresses branch-working days because you get:
- Regional festival holidays (state-specific)
- Fourth Saturday closure (nationwide)
- Sunday weekly holiday (nationwide)
For example, Mint notes the next cluster after December 27 includes Sunday, December 28, and additional state-specific closures on December 30 (Meghalaya) and December 31 (Mizoram and Manipur). The RBI matrix for December 2025 also lists these holidays in its descriptions for the month. mint
If you have time-sensitive needs—like submitting year-end paperwork, closing a loan document, updating account details, or handling branch-only transactions—try to plan for a working weekday rather than the final weekend of December.
Sources and expert references
- RBI Holiday Matrix (official holiday calendar tool) Reserve Bank of India
- RBI Press Release on second & fourth Saturday bank holidays (policy background) Reserve Bank of India
- RBI FAQs: NEFT availability (24x7x365) Reserve Bank of India
- RBI FAQs: RTGS availability (24x7x365) Reserve Bank of India
- NPCI: UPI product page (24/7 transfers) NPCI
- Reporting referenced in the prompt: Jagran, ABP Live, Jansatta Jagran
- Additional reporting cross-check: Mint, NDTV mint
