Bank holidays in April 2023: Banks Will Be Closed For 15 Days In April, Check Full State-Wise Bank Holiday List

With the current financial year (2022-23) ending on March 31 and the new financial year (2023-24) beginning on April 1, there are some major changes that will come into force. As these changes are directly related to money and banks, all bank customers should be aware of the bank holidays in April 2023 so they can plan their bank visits accordingly.

With the new financial year beginning, there's a whole new set of bank holidays in India in April 2023 to look forward to. You need to know all the bank holidays across various states in India not just to know when to avoid visiting the bank but also to plan long, weekend getaways.

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Most Indian banks¡¯ functions are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, and banking schedules and holidays are also governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations. Public sector banks and private sector banks both are not working on Sundays and on second and fourth Saturdays.

Bank holidays in India come in a variety of flavours -- it's a mix of mandated holidays by the banking sector, plus a whole set of festive and commemorative holidays authorised by various states.

In April 2023, there are only 15 days when many private and public sector banks will remain closed due to bank holidays including weekends. Banks will be shut for 15 days in April 2023 including the second and fourth Saturdays and Sundays as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.

Banks will be closed on all public holidays with some regional holidays, depending on the particular state. Regional holidays are decided by the respective state governments; they are not mentioned on RBI's official website.

The month of April 2023 will be observing 15 bank holidays and the first holiday starts from the Yearly Closing of Bank Accounts on 1st April and other holidays like Mahavir Jayanti on 4th April banks will be observed holidays which are applicable to all banks in India except some states.

People will not face any problems with bank-related work as holidays are not frequent or are at short intervals; ATMs, cash deposits, online banking and mobile banking will continue to function. These holidays may vary from state to state as holidays are determined keeping in mind the local festivals.

According to RBI guidelines, banks are closed on Sundays as well as on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Under the Negotiable Instruments Act, RBI has declared bank holidays on April 1,4,5,7,14,15,18,21, and 22. Apart from this, there are five Sundays in April falling on April 2,9,16,23, and 30 also on the second and fourth Saturdays on April 08 and 22.

According to the Reserve Bank's calendar, apart from the weekends, there are 9 bank holidays in April. The central government divided the holidays into three categories, under the Negotiable Instruments Act, of 1881.

Those who have to complete important work related to the bank in April, should see the list of holidays and plan their work in advance.

Check out the state-wise list of bank holidays in April 2023:

1. April 1, 2023 (Saturday): Yearly Closing of Bank Account

On April 1, 2023, banks will remain shut because of the yearly closing of bank accounts across the country, except in Mizoram, Chandigarh, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh.

2. April 2, 2023 (Sunday) - Bank weekend holiday

On April 2, 2023, banks will observe weekend holidays across the country.

3.April 4, 2023 (Tuesday) - Mahavir Jayanti

Bank will be closed on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti on 4th April 2023 in Gujarat, Mizoram, Navi Mumbai, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.

4. April 5, 2023 (Wednesday) - Babu Jagjivan Ram¡¯s Birthday

Bank will remain shut because of Babu Jagjivan Ram¡¯s Birth anniversary in Hyderabad (Telangana).

5. April 7, 2023 (Friday) - Good Friday

On the occasion of Good Friday on 7th April, banks across the country except - Tripura, Gujarat, Assam, Jaipur, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Good Friday is a significant day in the Christian calendar, which marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday and is a part of the Holy Week.

Good Friday known by various names such as Holy Friday, and Easter Friday will be celebrated on April 7th this year as Easter falls on Sunday, April 9 2023. However, the date of Good Friday changes every year as it is calculated based on the lunar cycle.

6. April 8, 2023 (Saturday) - Second Saturday of the month

Banks will be closed across the nation on April 08 due to the second Saturday of the month.

7. April 9, 2023 (Sunday) - Weekend Holiday

On 9th April banks will be closed across the country due to weekly off.

8. April 14, 2023 (Friday) - Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti/Bohag Bihu/Cheiraoba/Vaisakhi/Baisakhi/Tamil New Year's Day/Maha Bisubha Sankranti/Biju Festival/Buisu Festival

Banks will be closed due to occasions like - Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, Bohag Bihu, Cheiraoba, Vaisakhi/Baisakhi, Tamil New Year's Da, Maha Bisubha Sankranti, Biju Festival and Buisu Festival across the country except, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh. Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi, is an important and popular festival celebrated in the northern Indian state of Punjab and other parts of the country. It falls on April 13th or 14th every year and marks the beginning of the new solar year and the harvest season. The festival has both religious and cultural significance. It is an important day for the Sikh community as it marks the founding of the Khalsa Panth which means the pure one by the tenth sikh guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh in March 1699.

9. April 15, 2023 (Saturday) - Vishu/Bohag Bihu/Himachal Day/Bengali New Year¡¯s Day (Nababarsha)

On 15th April, banks remains shut due to Vishu, Bohag Bihu, Himachal Day, and Bengali New Year's Day (Nababarsha) in several states like Tripura, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, and Himachal Pradesh.

10. April 16, 2023 (Sunday) - Bank Weekend Holiday

On April 16, banks will observe weekend holidays across the country.

11. April 18, 2023 (Tuesday) - Shab-l-Qadr

Banks will be closed in Jammu & Kashmir on 18th April due to Shab-l-Qadr.

12. April 21, 2023 (Friday) - Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)/Garia Puja/Jumat-ul-Vida

Banks will be shut on 21st April due to Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid), Garia Puja, and Jumat-ul-Vida in Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, and Kerala. Eid Ul-Fitr, also known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," is one of the most important religious celebrations in the Islamic calendar. It marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting and spiritual reflection, and the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the lunar-based Islamic calendar. Eid Ul-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims around the world with great joy and enthusiasm, and it is a time for family gatherings, feasting, and giving charity.

13. April 22, 2023 (Saturday) - Fourth Saturday of the month and Ramzan Eid (Eid-Ul-Fitr)

All the banks in the country remain closed on the fourth Saturday of the month and due to the occasion of Ramzan Eid (Eid-Ul-Fitr) on 22 April 2023.

14. April 23, 2023 (Sunday) - Bank Weekend Holiday

On April 23, banks will observe weekend holidays across the country.

15. April 30, 2023 (Sunday) - Bank Weekend Holiday

On April 30, banks will observe weekend holidays across the country.

Bank employees may soon work a five-day week

Bank employees across the country are likely to get a 5-day work week soon. The Indian Banks Association (IBA) and United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has proposed a 5-day work week for bank employees, and the finance ministry has said that it has no objection to the proposal. The IBA has said that the 5-day work week will be implemented in phases, and that it could be in place by the end of 2023.

According to CNBC, in a notification dated July 19, UFBU said the issue of a 5-day work week was under ¡®active¡¯ consideration of stakeholders.

¡°IBA informed that the issue is under active consideration of various stakeholders and the same is being pursued. We asked the IBA to expedite the same so that 5 banking days per week is introduced without further delay,¡± the notification stated.

Currently, the bank employees get off on the first and fourth Saturday. The demand caught hold since the government implemented the rule of five working days in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Under the proposed 5-day work week, bank employees will work for an additional 40 minutes each day. This means that they will work from 9:45 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Saturdays will be a holiday for all bank employees.

The 5-day work week has been a long-standing demand of bank unions. They have argued that it will improve the work-life balance of bank employees and make it easier for them to attend to personal and family commitments.

However, Online bank services such as - Internet Banking, Mobile banking, etc, and ATM machines and Bank Kisoks will remain on working.

The implementation of the 5-day work week for bank employees is still pending final approval from the government. However, it is likely to be implemented in the near future. This will be a welcome change for bank employees, who have been working on alternating Saturdays for many years.

Here is the complete list of Bank Holidays in 2023:

Bank Holidays 2023 in India state-wise:

Bank Holidays 2023 month-wise

As per the RBI rules, there are three categorised holidays and they are as follows:

1. Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act

2. Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real-Time Gross Settlement Holiday

3. Banks' Closing of Accounts

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