Punjab School Holidays in January 2026: Winter Vacations Extended Till January 13, Check Complete List of Holidays

Punjab School Holidays January 2026: January 2026 brings major relief for students, parents, and teachers in Punjab as the month is packed with winter vacations, festivals, national holidays, and weekly offs. Due to severe cold weather and dense fog conditions, the Punjab School Education Department has officially extended winter vacations for all government and private schools . Along with this, important festivals like Lohri, Maghi (Makar Sankranti) and Republic Day will keep schools closed on multiple days throughout the month.

This article provides a complete and updated list of Punjab school holidays in January 2026, including extended winter vacations, public holidays, Sundays, and second/fourth Saturdays.

Punjab Winter Vacations 2025-26 Extended Till January 13: Official Update

The Punjab government has extended winter holidays in all schools across the state till January 13 due to severe cold weather and dense fog conditions disrupting daily life. Earlier, schools were scheduled to reopen on January 8.

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the decision was taken in line with the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan, with the health and safety of children and school staff being the top priority.

The order applies to all government, aided, recognised and private schools operating in Punjab. Schools are scheduled to reopen from January 14, when normal academic activities will resume.

ਮਾਨਯੋਗ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸ.ਭਗਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਮਾਨ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਦਿਸ਼ਾ ਨਿਰਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ, ਸੂਬੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਵੱਧ ਰਹੀ ਠੰਡ ਅਤੇ ਧੁੰਦ ਨੂੰ ਦੇਖਦਿਆਂ, ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਸਟਾਫ ਦੀ ਸਿਹਤ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਧਿਆਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੱਖਦਿਆਂ ਸੂਬੇ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ, ਏਡਿਡ, ਮਾਨਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਅਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਈਵੇਟ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ 13 ਜਨਵਰੀ ਤੱਕ ਛੁੱਟੀਆਂ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ…

— Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) January 7, 2026

Punjab Winter Vacation Schedule 2026

• Winter Vacations Start Date: 21 December 2025

• Winter Vacations End Date (Extended): 13 January 2026

• School Reopening Date: 14 January 2026

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains confirmed via an official post on X (formerly Twitter) that all government and private schools will remain closed till January 13, 2026, prioritizing student safety. Earlier, winter holidays were prolonged till 7 January 2026 due to persistent fog and cold waves.

Schools to Reopen on January 14 (Wednesday)

All government, aided, recognised and private schools in Punjab will now reopen from January 14, 2026, and regular academic activities will resume thereafter. Parents and students are advised to follow official updates from the Education Department for any further announcements.

Complete List of Punjab School Holidays in January 2026

Below is the list of commonly observed holidays for Punjab schools in January 2026:

Punjab School Holiday List – January 2026

• 1 January 2026 (Thursday): New Year’s Day

• 3 January 2026 (Saturday): Hazrat Ali Jayanti (Holiday in some areas)

• 4 January 2026 (Sunday): Weekly Off

• 7 January 2026: Last day of Extended Winter Vacations

• 10 January 2026 (Saturday): Second Saturday (Holiday in many schools)

• 11 January 2026 (Sunday): Weekly Off

• 12 January 2026 (Monday): Swami Vivekananda Jayanti (Subject to local notification)

• 13 January 2026 (Tuesday): Lohri (Holiday in some states/schools)

• 14 January 2026 (Wednesday): Makar Sankranti / Maghi

• 18 January 2026 (Sunday): Weekly Off

• 23 January 2026 (Friday): Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti / Basant Panchami (Probable)

• 24 January 2026 (Saturday): Fourth Saturday (Holiday in many schools)

• 25 January 2026 (Sunday): Weekly Off

• 26 January 2026 (Monday): Republic Day (National Holiday)

Sundays and Saturdays Holidays in January 2026

Apart from festivals and government holidays, schools will also remain closed on weekly offs.

Weekly Offs:

• Sundays: 4, 11, 18, 25 January 2026

• Second Saturday: 10 January 2026

• Fourth Saturday: 24 January 2026 (Holiday in selected schools)

Note: Holiday rules for Saturdays may vary depending on school management and education boards.

Important Note for Parents and Students

It is important to understand that school holidays may vary based on:

• State government notifications

• Education boards (CBSE, ICSE, PSEB, etc.)

• Individual school administrations

Parents and students are advised to confirm the final holiday list with their respective schools or official education department circulars.

January 2026 is set to be a holiday-rich month for Punjab schools, starting with extended winter vacations till January 7, followed by multiple festivals, Sundays, and national holidays like Republic Day. These breaks not only ensure student safety during harsh winter conditions but also allow families to celebrate important cultural and national occasions together.

For the latest updates, always rely on official announcements from the Punjab School Education Department and your school authorities.

Also Check School Holidays List in 2026 - Month-wise Holiday Calender