New Delhi [India], October 1 : The government's fact-checking unit, PIB Fact Check, has said that a social media claims about all Saturdays being declared holidays for public sector banks, including SBI, is fake.
"A Gazette circulating on social media, purportedly issued by the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services), claims that the Central Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all Public Sector Banks, including SBI," PIB Fact Check said in a post.
It added, "The document being circulated is fake. No such notification has been issued by @FinMinIndia declaring every Saturday as public holiday for public sector banks."
The clarification is significant as it comes days after bank unions deferred a three-day nationwide strike that was scheduled from September 28 to 30. One of the key demands of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) was a five-day banking week, which would effectively make all Saturdays holidays for bank employees.
The strike was deferred after talks between the UFBU and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). The two sides agreed to set up a high-level committee to discuss pending issues, including the demand for a five-day banking week.
Indian banks currently remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, while the first, third and fifth Saturdays are generally working days. The PIB clarification makes clear that despite the unions’ demand and the recent talks, no government notification declaring all Saturdays as bank holidays has been issued.
The fake document attached to the social media claim is dated September 30, 2026, and purports to declare "every Saturday" a public holiday for all public sector banks with immediate effect.
PIB Fact Check has advised people to flag suspicious content relating to the Central Government for verification.