The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced the withdrawal of Rs 2000 denomination banknotes from circulation as part of its "Clean Note Policy." However, these notes will continue to be legal tender. The RBI said that starting from May 23, 2023, individuals can exchange Rs 2000 banknotes for other denominations up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time at any bank to ensure operational convenience and avoid disruption of regular banking activities.
If you are planning to visit a bank to exchange your Rs 2000 banknote, it is crucial to be aware of the list of bank holidays when the banks will remain closed. This report provides an overview of the scheduled bank holidays during which banks will not be operational, ensuring that individuals seeking to exchange their Rs 2000 banknotes can plan their visit accordingly.
The RBI regulates most functions of banks and determines their schedules and holidays for the whole year. Both public sector banks and private sector banks do not work on Sundays and on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, according to RBI guidelines.
Bank holidays in India consist of mandatory holidays set by the banking sector and additional holidays for festivals and special occasions authorised by different states.
Here is the complete list of Bank Holidays in 2023:
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2023 | Sunday | New Year’s Day |
| January 23, 2023 | Monday | Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti |
| January 26, 2023 | Thursday | Republic Day |
| February 5, 2023 | Sunday | Guru Ravidas Jayanti |
| February 18, 2023 | Saturday | Maha Shivaratri |
| March 8, 2023 | Wednesday | Holi |
| March 22, 2023 | Wednesday | Ugadi |
| March 30, 2023 | Thursday | Ram Navami |
| April 4, 2023 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| April 7, 2023 | Friday | Good Friday |
| April 14, 2023 | Friday | Dr Ambedkar Jayanti |
| April 22, 2023 | Saturday | Eid ul Fitr |
| May 1, 2023 | Monday | May Day/ Labour Day |
| May 5, 2023 | Friday | Buddha Purnima |
| June 29, 2023 | Thursday | Bakrid/ Eid al Adha |
| July 29, 2023 | Saturday | Muharram |
| August 15, 2023 | Tuesday | Independence Day |
| August 16, 2023 | Wednesday | Parsi New Year |
| August 31, 2023 | Thursday | Raksha Bandhan |
| September 7, 2023 | Thursday | Janmashtami |
| September 19, 2023 | Tuesday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| September 28, 2023 | Thursday | Eid e Milad |
| October 2, 2023 | Monday | Gandhi Jayanti |
| October 21, 2023 | Monday | Maha Saptami |
| October 22, 2023 | Sunday | Maha Ashtami |
| October 23, 2023 | Monday | Maha Navami |
| October 24, 2023 | Tuesday | Vijaya Dashami |
| November 12, 2023 | Sunday | Diwali |
| November 13, 2023 | Monday | Deepavali Holiday |
| November 15, 2023 | Wednesday | Bhai Dooj |
| November 27, 2023 | Monday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| December 25, 2023 | Monday | Christmas Day |
For those planning to exchange Rs 2000 banknotes starting from May 23 till September 30, 2023, as per RBI's guideline. Here is the full list of region-wise bank holidays in the next 4 months.
May 2023
| Day | Holiday Description | Region |
| May 1 | Maharashtra Day/May Day | Belapur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad – Telangana, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram |
| May 5 | Buddha Purnima | Aizawl, Belapur, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Kanpur, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi and Shimla. |
| May 16 | State Day | Gangtok |
| May 22 | Maharana Pratap Jayanti | Shimla |
June 2023
| Day | Holiday Description | Region |
| June 15 | Y.M.A. Day | Aizawl |
| June 20 | Kang (Rathajatra) | Imphal |
| June 28 | Bakri Eid (Eid-Ul-Zuha) |
Belapur, Mumbai, Nagpur and Thiruvananthapuram
|
| June 29 | Bakri Eid (Eid-Ul-Adha) | All |
| June 30 | Remna Ni | Aizawl |
July 2023
| Day | Holiday Description | Region |
| July 6 | MHIP Day | Aizawl |
| July 13 | Bhanu Jayanti | Gangtok |
| July 17 | U Tirot Sing Day | Shillong |
| July 21 | Drukpa Tshe-zi | Gangtok |
| July 29 | Muharram (Tajiya) | All |
August 2023
| Day | Holiday Description | Region |
| August 8 | Tendong Lho Rum Faat | Gangtok |
| August 15 | Independence Day | All |
| August 16 | Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi) |
Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur
|
| August 18 | Tithi of Srimanta Sankardeva | Guwahati |
| August 28 | First Onam |
Thiruvananthapuram
|
| August 29 | Thiruvonam |
Thiruvananthapuram
|
| August 30 | Raksha Bandhan |
Jaipur and Shimla
|
| August 31 | Raksha Bandhan/Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi/Pang-Lhabsol |
Gangtok, Kanpur, Lucknow and Thiruvananthapuram
|
September 2023
| Day | Holiday Description | Region |
| September 6 | Sri Krishna Janmashtami |
Bhubaneswar, Chennai and Patna
|
| September 7 | Janmashtami (Shravan Vad-8)/Sri Krishna Ashtami | Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Gangtok, Hyderabad – Telangana, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong and Shimla |
| September 18 | Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata/Vinayaka Chathurthi |
Bengaluru and Hyderabad – Telangana
|
| September 19 | Ganesh Chaturthi/Samvatsari (Chaturthi Paksha) | Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Nagpur and Panaji |
| September 20 | Ganesh Chaturthi (2nd day)/Nuakhai |
Bhubaneswar and Panaji
|
| September 22 | Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi Day |
Thiruvananthapuram
|
| September 25 | Janmotsav of Srimanta Sankardeva | Guwahati |
| September 27 | Milad-i-Sherif (Birthday of Prophet Muhammed) |
Thiruvananthapuram
|
| September 28 | Eid-E-Milad/Eid-e-Meeladunnabi – (Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday) (Bara Vafat) | Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad – Telangana, Imphal, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur and Ranchi |
| September 29 | Indrajatra | Gangtok |
If you plan to visit a bank in India for the purpose of exchanging your Rs 2000 banknote, it is essential to check the list of bank holidays and closure dates provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). By being aware of these holidays, you can ensure that your visit aligns with the operational hours of the bank, thereby avoiding any inconvenience. Stay informed and plan your visit accordingly to facilitate a smooth exchange process.