Planning the school year in advance can make life much easier for students, parents, and teachers. One key to good planning is knowing the official list of school holidays.
Below you’ll find the official CBSE school holiday calendar for 2025 (as observed in India), followed by a look at why these holidays matter.
We’ll also highlight International School Guwahati (ISG) – one of the top CBSE schools in Assam – and how schools like ISG use these holidays to balance learning with much-needed breaks.
Official CBSE Holiday List 2025 for International School Guwahati
Marking the calendar for school holidays helps families and schools plan ahead.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) holiday schedule mostly aligns with India’s public holiday calendar. Here is the month-wise list of major school holidays in 2025 for CBSE schools (including national holidays and important festivals):
January 2025
- January 1 (Wed): New Year’s Day (Restricted Holiday)
- January 6 (Mon): Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti (Restricted Holiday)
- January 14 (Tue): Pongal / Makar Sankranti / Hazarat Ali’s Birthday (Restricted Holidays)
- January 26 (Sun): Republic Day (Gazetted National Holiday)
February 2025
- February 2 (Sun): Vasant Panchami (Restricted Holiday)
- February 12 (Wed): Guru Ravidas Jayanti (Restricted Holiday)
- February 19 (Wed): Shivaji Jayanti (Restricted Holiday)
- February 26 (Wed): Maha Shivaratri (Gazetted Holiday)
March 2025
- March 13 (Thu): Holika Dahan (Restricted Holiday)
- March 14 (Fri): Holi (Dolyatra) – (Gazetted Holiday)
- March 28 (Fri): Shab-e-Barat/Jamat Ul-Vida (Tentative, Restricted Holiday)
- March 30 (Sun): Chaitra Sukladi/Ugadi/Gudi Padwa (Restricted Holidays)
- March 31 (Mon): Ramzan Id/Eid-ul-Fitr (Tentative, Gazetted Holiday)
April 2025
- April 6 (Sun): Rama Navami (Restricted Holiday)
- April 10 (Thu): Mahavir Jayanti (Gazetted Holiday)
- April 18 (Fri): Good Friday (Gazetted Holiday)
May 2025
- May 12 (Mon): Buddha Purnima (Vesak) (Gazetted Holiday)
June 2025
- June 7 (Sat): Bakrid / Eid ul-Adha (Tentative, Gazetted Holiday)
July 2025
- July 6 (Sun): Muharram/Ashura (Tentative, Gazetted Holiday)
August 2025
- August 9 (Sat): Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) (Restricted Holiday)
- August 15 (Fri): Independence Day (Gazetted) and Janmashtami (Smarta) & Parsi New Year (Restricted)
- August 16 (Sat): Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s Birthday) (Gazetted Holiday)
- August 27 (Wed): Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Chaturthi) (Restricted Holiday)
September 2025
- September 5 (Fri): Milad-un-Nabi/Id-e-Milad (Prophet’s Birthday) and Onam (Tentative, Gazetted & Restricted)
- September 29 (Mon): Maha Saptami (Restricted Holiday)
- September 30 (Tue): Maha Ashtami (Restricted Holiday)
October 2025
- October 1 (Wed): Maha Navami (Restricted Holiday)
- October 2 (Thu): Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra/Vijaya Dashami (Gazetted Holidays)
- October 7 (Tue): Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti (Restricted Holiday)
- October 10 (Fri): Karva Chauth (Restricted Holiday)
- October 20 (Mon): Naraka Chaturdasi & Diwali (Deepavali) (Gazetted & Restricted Holidays)
- October 22 (Wed): Govardhan Puja (Restricted Holiday)
- October 23 (Thu): Bhai Dooj (Restricted Holiday)
November 2025
- November 5 (Wed): Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gazetted Holiday)
- November 24 (Mon): Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day (Restricted Holiday)
December 2025
- December 24 (Wed): Christmas Eve (Restricted Holiday)
- December 25 (Thu): Christmas Day (Gazetted Holiday)
Note: In addition to the above, schools typically have summer and winter vacation breaks. Summer break usually runs from mid-May to late June/early July, and winter break covers the end of December into the first week of January. The exact dates for these long breaks can vary by school and region.
Also, some holidays (especially the ones marked “Restricted” or “Tentative”) might be observed differently in each state or school. It’s always a good idea to check your school’s official calendar or any state-specific circulars for any extra local holidays or slight date changes.
Why School Holidays Matter for Students, Parents, and Educators?
School holidays are more than just days off – they play an important role in the academic year for everyone involved:
- Students: Breaks give students time to relax, pursue hobbies, celebrate festivals, and visit family. This downtime is crucial for recharging their minds. After intense exam periods or months of studies, a holiday helps reduce stress and prevents burnout. Students often return to class after a vacation feeling refreshed and more motivated to learn.
- Parents/Families: Knowing the holiday schedule helps parents plan family events, trips, or childcare. For working parents, being aware of school holidays in advance means they can align their leave from work for a vacation or arrange for supervision when kids are off school. Holidays like long weekends are perfect opportunities for family bonding – whether it’s celebrating a festival together or going on a short getaway.
- Educators/Schools: Teachers and school administrators use holiday periods to plan and adjust the curriculum. For example, they might schedule revisions and tests around long breaks (ensuring students don’t forget everything over vacation!) and prepare lesson plans for the next term during the downtime. Holidays are also when schools can organize teacher training workshops or maintenance of school facilities without disrupting classes. Importantly, breaks give teachers time to rest as well, which helps prevent teacher burnout and keeps them energetic and effective in the classroom.
A well-planned holiday calendar helps balance work and rest. It ensures that the academic syllabus is completed on time while still giving everyone periodic respite.
Both students and teachers return from holidays with renewed focus, which can lead to better academic performance and a happier school environment.
For families, these breaks are invaluable for quality time and cultural activities. That’s why having the official holiday list early is so helpful – it lets everyone coordinate their schedules for the year in the best way possible.
International School Guwahati – A Top CBSE School in Assam
While discussing school calendars, it’s worth noting how a great institution handles them. International School Guwahati (ISG) is a prime example of a school that balances academics and holidays excellently.
ISG, established in 2010 in the Sarusajai area of Guwahati, is affiliated to CBSE (and even offers the Cambridge international curriculum) from Nursery up to Class 12. It is often praised as one of the best CBSE schools in Assam, and for good reason.
In summary, ISG exemplifies what a top CBSE school should be – strong academics, dedicated faculty, and smart planning. They make full use of the academic calendar, leveraging both study time and holiday time effectively.
This means when it’s time to work hard, students give their all, and when it’s time to unwind (say, during winter break or a festival), they can truly enjoy it without stress. It’s no wonder that International School Guwahati has earned a reputation for excellence in Assam’s education circle.
Planning Ahead
With the 2025 CBSE holiday list in hand, students and parents can now plan the year with confidence. Mark these dates on your calendar, and coordinate any trips or study schedules accordingly.
Schools like ISG have already structured their academic plans around these holidays, and you can do the same at home.
Remember, school holidays are there to be enjoyed and utilized – whether it’s celebrating a festival, visiting grandparents, or simply catching up on some rest and reading. Here’s to a well-balanced 2025 school year, filled with productive learning days and happy holidays!
