October is one of the most festival-rich months in India, and Goa is no exception — many public holidays translate into school closures. Here’s a consolidated list of school / public holidays in Goa during October 2025, including festival breaks and other non-working days, along with tips for students, parents and schools.
📅 Key Holiday Dates in Goa for October 2025
From the official Goa government holiday list and supplementary sources:
October 2, 2025 (Thursday): Gandhi Jayanti — Public holiday in Goa.
October 2, 2025 (Thursday): Dussehra / Vijaya Dashami — Shared with Gandhi Jayanti on that day.
October 20, 2025 (Monday): Diwali (Deepavali) — Public holiday in Goa.
October 22, 2025 (Wednesday): Govardhan Puja — Marked as a restricted holiday in Goa (i.e., optional leave depending on school policy)
October 23, 2025 (Thursday): Bhaubij (or Bhai Dooj) — also a restricted holiday in Goa for schools/offices.
These are the main closure dates that directly affect schools in Goa. The “restricted holidays” mean that some schools (especially privately managed ones) may or may not close depending on their internal policy.
🏫 Notes on Academic Calendar & Term Structure
From the Terms & Vacation 2025-26 Circular for Goa schools:
The 1st Summative / First Term Examination is expected to conclude by 7 October 2025.
After that, schools often have a short break before 2nd Term / second summative activities begin.
The school instructional hours must not fall below 5.5 hours per day (excluding recess) as per Goa School Education rules.
Goa’s public holiday list also lists October 2 and October 20 (Diwali) among official public closures.
🔍 How These Holidays Affect Schools
Universal Closure Dates: October 2 and October 20 are public holidays, so most schools (government and private) will be closed.
Restricted Holidays (Oct 22 & 23): Some schools may remain open for regular classes while others may give optional leave.
Overlap of Festival & National Holidays: The coincidence of Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti on Oct 2 makes it a double holiday — a major closure day.
Interim Break after Term Exams: Many schools may also keep a short break after term exams (e.g., around Oct 8–10) for staff and students to rest or revise.
📋 Tentative Calendar Snapshot: October 2025 (Goa Schools)
Here’s how the month may look visually in terms of likely closures (X = closed/holiday):
| Date | Day | Holiday / Notes | School Status* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | Wednesday | — | Regular day |
| Oct 2 | Thursday | Gandhi Jayanti + Dussehra | Closed |
| Oct 3–6 | Fri–Mon | — | Regular days |
| Oct 7 | Tuesday | — | Regular |
| Oct 8–9 | Wed–Thu | Post-exam buffer / school internal rest days (possible) | Varies |
| Oct 10–19 | Fri–Sun | Regular study days | Open |
| Oct 20 | Monday | Diwali (Deepavali) | Closed |
| Oct 21 | Tuesday | — | Regular |
| Oct 22 | Wednesday | Govardhan Puja (Restricted) | May or may not be closed |
| Oct 23 | Thursday | Bhaubij / Bhai Dooj (Restricted) | May or may not be closed |
| Oct 24–31 | Fri–Fri | Regular school days (unless other local holidays) | Open |
* Status is “Closed” for public holidays; “May” for restricted; “Regular” otherwise, depending on school discretion.
✅ What Students & Parents Should Keep in Mind
Check your school’s holiday circular — Private schools may follow a slightly different schedule for restricted holidays.
Plan for restricted holidays (Oct 22–23) — don’t presume all schools will close.
Make use of closure days — Use public holiday days for holiday projects, festive celebrations, or extra rest.
Review academic calendar — Expect a small break post-term before term 2 begins.
Monitor announcements — Sometimes additional holidays or changes are declared later (weather, administrative reasons, etc.).
🛠 Sample Notification Template (For Schools)
Here’s a short draft schools or parent-teacher associations can use:
Subject: Goa School Holidays – October 2025
Dear Students & Parents,
Please note the following school holidays in October 2025:
– Oct 2 (Thursday): Gandhi Jayanti & Dussehra — school closed
– Oct 20 (Monday): Diwali — school closed
– Oct 22 (Wednesday): Govardhan Puja — restricted holiday (school may or may not be closed)
– Oct 23 (Thursday): Bhaubij / Bhai Dooj — restricted holiday
Also, the first summative exams end on Oct 7, and schools may have a short break before further classes resume.
Regards,
[School Management]
