A notification circulating on social media claiming that the Central Government has declared every Saturday a holiday for public-sector banks is fake, according to PIB Fact Check.
The clarification comes amid ongoing discussions over the demand for a five-day banking week. The government has confirmed that the existing arrangement has not been replaced by a system in which all Saturdays are holidays.
What the Viral Notification Claims
The document circulating online is presented as a Ministry of Finance notification and reportedly carries a September 30, 2026 date. It claims that all Saturdays have been declared public holidays for public-sector banks, including the State Bank of India.
PIB Fact Check has rejected the document as fabricated and said that no such notification has been issued by the Ministry of Finance's Department of Financial Services.
Therefore, customers should not treat the viral document as an official change in the bank holiday calendar.
What Is the Current Saturday Holiday System?
Public-sector banks currently observe the second and fourth Saturdays of each month as holidays. The other Saturdays continue to be working days under the existing arrangement.
The government had introduced the second- and fourth-Saturday holiday system for public-sector banks in 2015. A recent PIB release again referred to this arrangement while discussing the proposed five-day banking week.
This means the viral claim that every Saturday has already become a bank holiday should not be confused with the separate proposal for a five-day banking schedule.
Why Is the Five-Day Banking Week Being Discussed?
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has been seeking a five-day working week for banks. Under such a system, employees would generally work from Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday becoming weekly holidays.
The issue was among the matters discussed during negotiations between bank unions and the Indian Banks' Association.
According to the Ministry of Finance, a series of discussions and conciliation efforts took place after unions raised their demands. The government also stated that the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme had been kept in abeyance following discussions.
However, the discussions over a five-day banking week do not mean that all Saturdays have already been declared holidays.
September Bank Strike and Weekend Arrangements
The issue gained additional attention because bank unions had called a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to September 30, 2026, over their demands.
The government had also announced that public-sector banks and regional rural banks would operate on Sunday, September 27, to help customers manage their banking requirements around the proposed strike and preceding weekend.
This special arrangement was separate from the normal weekly holiday system and should not be interpreted as a permanent change to Saturday banking schedules.
What Bank Customers Should Know
For now, customers should rely on official bank communications, the Reserve Bank of India and government notifications when checking whether a branch will be open.
A social-media image or forwarded document claiming a major change in bank holidays should not be considered sufficient evidence of a new policy.
Customers who need to visit a branch on a Saturday should continue checking the applicable holiday calendar, particularly because bank holidays can also vary for specific occasions and locations.
For businesses managing financial records, payments and statutory requirements, Due Diligence can also be relevant when verifying important financial information and documentation.
Bottom Line
The claim that the Centre has declared every Saturday a public holiday for public-sector banks is false.
The current arrangement of second- and fourth-Saturday holidays remains in place, while the broader proposal for a five-day banking week has been part of discussions between bank unions and the banking authorities.
Until an official government notification announces a change, customers should not assume that all Saturdays are bank holidays.