Banks' Operational Status on March 29, 2025
In March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made special arrangements to ensure that banks remain operational on March 31, a public holiday, to facilitate year-end financial transactions despite it being Eid-Ul-Fitr and the fiscal year-end.
However, if you need to visit a bank branch on March 29, it is recommended to confirm branch hours, use online services, plan for delays, check for regional holidays, and consider alternative payment methods. This is due to the fact that some financial services might be affected on this day, which is the fifth Saturday of the month, as the weekend schedule may cause delays in cheque clearing and fund transfers.
It's important to note that Presidents' Day, a holiday observed in many countries, is not a bank holiday in India. Banks in India typically observe holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, but they operate on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays.
In March 2025, banks in India remained open on March 29, but some branches may have limited services or early closures due to the fiscal year-end. Online and digital banking services, such as net banking, mobile banking, and ATMs, will remain operational 24/7 on March 29.
In terms of specific bank holidays in March 2025, the following days were observed:
- 14 March 2025 (Friday): Holi Festival (observed in many states, banks closed) - 22 March 2025 (Saturday): Fourth Saturday closure (banks closed nationwide) - 30 March 2025 (Sunday): Multiple regional holidays including Ugadi (Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Telangana), Gudi Padwa (Gujarat, Maharashtra), Telugu New Year (Tamil Nadu), and Easter (Kerala) — banks typically closed on Sundays in any case
Banks in Karnataka specifically were closed on three days in March 2025:
- 22 March 2025 (Fourth Saturday) - 30 March 2025 (Ugadi) - 31 March 2025 (Idul Fitr)
Banks in Jammu and Kashmir were closed on March 27 and 28, 2025, for Shab-i-Qadr and Jumat-ul-Vida, respectively.
Bank holidays in India can be categorised into National Holidays, State-Specific Holidays, Weekend Holidays, Festival Holidays, and Financial Year-End Closures. Regional variations may apply for banking holidays, and it is advisable to check the RBI's official holiday list or your bank's online schedule to confirm whether your bank is operational.
In March 2025, regular working days for banks were all weekdays except the Friday of Holi festival (14 March), the fourth Saturday (22 March), and all Sundays (2, 9, 16, 23, 30 March). Bank branches may have additional state-specific holidays, but these are the broadly observed bank holidays and closures for March 2025.
[1] RBI's Official Holidays List for Banks -
In the business and finance sector, it's essential to plan ahead for transactions on March 29, 2025, as some banking services might be affected due to it being the fifth Saturday of the month, potentially causing delays in cheque clearing and fund transfers. On the other hand, general-news readers should be aware that if they need to visit a bank branch on March 31, 2025, it will operate despite being a public holiday, Eid-Ul-Fitr, and the fiscal year-end, thanks to special arrangements made by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
