Bengaluru: School students across Karnataka will get a 19-day Dasara holiday this year, with the Department of School Education and Literacy announcing the holiday schedule for the 2026–27 academic year.

According to the academic calendar, schools will remain closed from October 3 to October 21, 2026, and will reopen on October 22. The holiday schedule applies to Government, aided and private primary, middle and high schools across Karnataka.

The extended break will cover the main Dasara festivities, including the Vijayadashami holiday on October 21. Since October 2 is also a holiday for Gandhi Jayanti, students will get a continuous break beginning October 2 and extending until October 21.

Dasara holidays from October 3 to 21

The Department of School Education and Literacy has fixed October 3 as the first day of the official Dasara vacation.

The holiday will continue through October 21, which is Vijayadashami. Schools will resume classes on October 22, marking the beginning of the second term of the academic year.

The schedule is part of the State’s academic calendar for 2026–27 and covers schools across Karnataka.

With Gandhi Jayanti falling on October 2, students will effectively have a 20-day period without regular classes, from October 2 through October 21, although the official Dasara vacation itself is 19 days.

Schools to reopen on October 22

Schools will reopen on October 22, immediately after Vijayadashami.

The second term of the academic year will run from October 22, 2026, to April 10, 2027, according to the academic calendar. Summer vacation is scheduled to begin from April 11, 2027.

The holiday schedule gives students and teachers a substantial break during the festive period and allows families to plan travel and celebrations around Dasara.

District-level changes may be made by education authorities in specific circumstances, including local requirements or weather-related considerations, according to the reported academic calendar.

Mysuru Dasara begins on October 11

The school holiday period will overlap with the main Mysuru Dasara 2026 celebrations.

The official Mysuru Dasara website lists this year’s festival from October 11 to October 21. The celebrations will include cultural programmes and several special events during the 11-day festival.

The Dasara schedule includes events such as Yuva Sambhrama, Women’s Dasara, Children’s Dasara, Farmers’ Dasara, drone shows, Kambala and other cultural and traditional programmes.

The grand finale, Jumboo Savari, is scheduled for October 21, with the procession travelling from Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap.

Holiday coincides with major Dasara events

The school break will allow students in Mysuru and other parts of Karnataka to attend several Dasara-related events.

In Mysuru, the main celebrations begin on October 11, with the festival continuing until Vijayadashami on October 21. The official programme also lists a flower show at Kuppanna Park from October 11 to 21.

Other attractions scheduled during the period include the food festival, cultural programmes and the traditional Kambala event.

The holiday therefore covers the entire main Dasara period in Mysuru.

Academic calendar sets second-term schedule

The 2026–27 academic calendar had earlier specified that the first half of the academic year would run until October 2, followed by the Dasara break.

A Star of Mysore report published in May had stated that the second half of the academic year would begin after an approximately 18-day Dasara vacation. The latest holiday notification specifies the break from October 3 to October 21, with schools reopening on October 22.

The second term will continue until April 10, 2027, after which the summer vacation will begin.

Holiday schedule applies across Karnataka

The announced Dasara vacation applies to Government, aided and private primary, middle and high schools in the State, according to the Department’s academic holiday schedule.

This provides a common holiday period for school students across Karnataka, although district-level adjustments may be possible where required.

Parents and students can therefore plan their Dasara travel and celebrations around the October 3–21 school holiday, while keeping in mind that October 2 is separately observed as Gandhi Jayanti.

Dasara break gives students time for celebrations

The 19-day Dasara vacation comes during one of Karnataka’s major festive periods.

For students, the break will cover the Navaratri and Vijayadashami celebrations, while families can plan visits to Mysuru and other destinations without regular school commitments.

In Mysuru, the official Dasara festival will run for 11 days from October 11 to 21, culminating in the Jumboo Savari on Vijayadashami.

With schools reopening on October 22, students will return to classes immediately after the conclusion of the main Dasara celebrations.