Fake gazette on PSU bank Saturday holiday busted by PIB Fact Check
Synopsis
A fake government gazette declaring every Saturday a public holiday for PSU banks — including SBI — went viral on social media, prompting PIB Fact Check to issue a flat denial on 1 October. The Finance Ministry has issued no such order. The hoax emerged just days after the UFBU deferred a nationwide bank strike, giving it a veneer of credibility that made it spread fast.
Key Takeaways
PIB Fact Check on 1 October 2026 declared a viral gazette notification about Saturday bank holidays for PSBs fake.
The document falsely claimed the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services) had declared every Saturday a public holiday for all public sector banks, including SBI .
PIB confirmed: 'No such notification has been issued by Finance Ministry.' The hoax follows the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) deferring a three-day nationwide bank strike after talks with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) .
Citizens are advised to verify government orders via the eGazette of India portal and report suspicious content to PIB Fact Check .
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit on Thursday, 1 October 2026, debunked a viral government gazette notification circulating on social media that falsely claims the Centre has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all public sector banks (PSBs), including the State Bank of India (SBI). The Ministry of Finance's Department of Financial Services has issued no such order, PIB confirmed.
What the Fake Document Claims
The circulating document purports to be an official government gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services), stating that the Central Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all public sector banks, including SBI. The document spread rapidly across social media platforms before drawing official scrutiny.
What PIB Fact Check Said
In a post on social media platform X, PIB Fact Check categorically stated: '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. The document being circulated is fake.'
The unit further clarified: 'No such notification has been issued by Finance Ministry declaring every Saturday as public holiday for public sector banks.' Citizens were urged not to rely on unverified documents and to verify government-related information through official channels before sharing further. PIB also asked the public to 'Flag suspicious content related to the Central Government to PIB Fact Check.'
Context: Bank Unions and the Strike Deferral
The fake gazette surfaces against the backdrop of ongoing labour negotiations in the banking sector. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) last week deferred a planned three-day nationwide bank strike, following an eleventh-hour meeting with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) on Sunday. According to a statement from the bank union, both sides agreed to defer the strike after the talks. It is not immediately clear whether the timing of the viral document is connected to the industrial action, but the confluence has amplified its reach on social media.
Why Misinformation About Bank Holidays Spreads Quickly
Fake notifications about bank holidays tend to go viral because they affect daily financial activity for millions of account holders, businesses, and loan repayment schedules. This is not the first time fabricated gazette notifications have targeted PSBs — PIB Fact Check has previously flagged similar hoaxes about bank mergers, interest rate changes, and service charges. Notably, the five-day banking week has been a long-standing demand of bank unions, making such rumours particularly believable to casual readers.
How to Verify Government Notifications
PIB advises citizens to check all government orders against the official eGazette of India portal and the respective ministry websites. Suspicious content can be flagged directly to PIB Fact Check through its official channels. Sharing unverified documents, even unintentionally, can attract legal liability under information technology laws.
As misinformation cycles around banking and financial policy continue, the PIB's fact-checking interventions are likely to remain a key line of defence — but the speed at which such documents circulate underscores the need for public vigilance.
Point of View
Making them harder to dismiss at a glance. The fact that a five-day banking week is a real, longstanding union demand gave this hoax its credibility boost. PIB Fact Check's quick rebuttal is necessary, but reactive: the document had already circulated widely before the denial landed. What is missing is a proactive public literacy effort so citizens do not need a government unit to tell them to check eGazette before forwarding a PDF. The UFBU-IBA strike deferral in the background adds another layer — when banking disruption is already in the news, any document promising or threatening change to bank schedules finds a ready audience.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every Saturday a public holiday for PSU banks from now on?
No. The viral gazette notification making this claim is fake, as confirmed by PIB Fact Check on 1 October 2026. The Ministry of Finance's Department of Financial Services has issued no such notification.
What exactly does the fake gazette claim?
The document, purportedly from the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services), claims the Central Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all public sector banks, including SBI. PIB Fact Check has confirmed the document is fabricated and does not represent any official government order.
How did PIB Fact Check respond?
PIB Fact Check issued a clarification on social media platform X, stating the circulating gazette is fake and that no such notification has been issued. It urged citizens to verify government-related information through official channels and to flag suspicious content to PIB Fact Check.
How does this relate to the recent bank strike news?
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) deferred a planned three-day nationwide strike last week after talks with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA). The proximity of that news to the viral fake gazette may have lent the hoax added credibility, though no direct link has been established.
How can citizens verify genuine government notifications?
Citizens should check official orders on the eGazette of India portal and the relevant ministry websites. Suspicious documents about Central Government policies can be reported directly to PIB Fact Check through its official channels.
