Important Days & Dates — Month-wise Complete List for UPSC & State PCS
This is a comprehensive month-wise compilation of all important national and international days frequently asked in UPSC Prelims, State PCS, SSC, banking, and other competitive examinations. Themes for 2025 have been verified via official UN, WHO, UNESCO, and Government of India sources.
January
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Global Family Day / World Peace Day | — | UN |
| 4 | World Braille Day | — | UN (honours Louis Braille’s birthday) |
| 6 | World War Orphans Day | — | Terre des hommes |
| 9 | NRI Day / Pravasi Bharatiya Divas | Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat | Government of India |
| 10 | World Hindi Day | — | Government of India |
| 12 | National Youth Day (Swami Vivekananda Jayanti) | — | Government of India |
| 15 | Indian Army Day | Samarth Bharat, Saksham Sena | Indian Army |
| 24 | National Girl Child Day | Empowering Girls for a Bright Future | Government of India |
| 24 | International Day of Education | AI and Education: Human Agency in an Automated World | UNESCO |
| 25 | National Voters Day | Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure | Election Commission of India |
| 25 | National Tourism Day | — | Government of India |
| 26 | Republic Day of India | — | Government of India |
| 26 | International Day of Clean Energy (from 2024) | Clean Energy for People and Planet | UN |
| 26 | International Customs Day | — | World Customs Organization |
| 27 | International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust | — | UN |
| 28 | Data Privacy Day | — | Council of Europe |
| 30 | World Leprosy Day (last Sunday of January) | Unite. Act. Eliminate. | WHO |
| 30 | Martyrs’ Day / Shaheed Diwas (Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary) | — | Government of India |
February
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | World Wetlands Day | Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future | Ramsar Convention / UN |
| 4 | World Cancer Day | United by Unique (2025-2027) | UICC / WHO |
| 4 | International Day of Human Fraternity | — | UN |
| 6 | International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation | — | UN |
| 10 | National Deworming Day | — | Government of India |
| 10 | World Pulses Day | — | UN / FAO |
| 11 | International Day of Women and Girls in Science | — | UN |
| 12 | National Productivity Day | — | National Productivity Council, India |
| 13 | World Radio Day | — | UNESCO |
| 20 | World Day of Social Justice | Strengthening a Just Transition for a Sustainable Future | UN |
| 21 | International Mother Language Day | Silver Jubilee Celebration (25th anniversary) | UNESCO |
| 24 | Central Excise Day | — | Government of India |
| 28 | National Science Day (discovery of Raman Effect, 1928) | Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science & Innovation for Viksit Bharat | Government of India |
March
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zero Discrimination Day | — | UNAIDS |
| 1 | World Civil Defence Day | — | International Civil Defence Organisation |
| 3 | World Wildlife Day | Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet | UN / CITES |
| 3 | World Hearing Day | — | WHO |
| 8 | International Women’s Day | For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. | UN |
| 10 | CISF Raising Day | — | Government of India |
| 14 | International Day of Action for Rivers | — | International Rivers |
| 15 | World Consumer Rights Day | — | Consumers International |
| 20 | International Day of Happiness | Caring and Sharing | UN |
| 20 | World Sparrow Day | — | Nature Forever Society |
| 21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | 60th Anniversary of ICERD | UN |
| 21 | World Down Syndrome Day | Improve Our Support Systems | UN |
| 21 | World Poetry Day | Poetry for Peace and Unity | UNESCO |
| 21 | International Day of Forests | Forests and Food | UN / FAO |
| 22 | World Water Day | Glacier Preservation | UN |
| 23 | World Meteorological Day | Closing the Early Warning Gap Together | WMO |
| 24 | World Tuberculosis Day | Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver | WHO |
| 27 | World Theatre Day | — | International Theatre Institute / UNESCO |
April
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utkal Diwas (Odisha Foundation Day) | — | Government of India |
| 2 | World Autism Awareness Day | Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN SDGs | UN |
| 4 | International Day for Mine Awareness | — | UN |
| 5 | National Maritime Day | — | Government of India |
| 7 | World Health Day | Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures | WHO |
| 10 | World Homoeopathy Day | — | Government of India |
| 11 | National Safe Motherhood Day | — | Government of India |
| 14 | B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | — | Government of India |
| 17 | World Haemophilia Day | — | World Federation of Hemophilia |
| 18 | World Heritage Day | Disaster & Conflict Resilient Heritage | ICOMOS / UNESCO |
| 21 | National Civil Services Day | — | Government of India |
| 22 | Earth Day | Our Power, Our Planet | EARTHDAY.ORG |
| 22 | International Mother Earth Day | — | UN |
| 23 | World Book and Copyright Day | Read Your Way | UNESCO |
| 24 | National Panchayati Raj Day | — | Government of India |
| 25 | World Malaria Day | Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite | WHO |
| 26 | World Intellectual Property Day | IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP | WIPO |
| 28 | World Day for Safety and Health at Work | Safety and Health at Work: The Role of AI and Digitalization | ILO |
| 29 | International Dance Day | — | UNESCO / International Theatre Institute |
May
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Labour Day / May Day | — | ILO |
| 1 | Maharashtra Day & Gujarat Day | — | Government of India |
| 3 | World Press Freedom Day | Reporting in the Brave New World: Impact of AI on Press Freedom and Media | UNESCO |
| 7 | World Athletics Day | — | World Athletics |
| 8 | World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day | — | ICRC / IFRC |
| 8 | World Thalassemia Day | Together for Thalassaemia: Uniting Communities, Prioritising Patients | Thalassaemia International Federation |
| 11 | National Technology Day | YANTRA: Yugantar for Advancing New Technology, Research & Acceleration | Government of India |
| 12 | International Nurses Day | Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies | ICN |
| 15 | International Day of Families | — | UN |
| 17 | World Telecommunication and Information Society Day | Why Gender Equality in Digital Transformation Matters | ITU |
| 17 | World Hypertension Day | Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer | World Hypertension League |
| 20 | World Bee Day | Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All | UN / FAO |
| 20 | World Metrology Day | — | BIPM |
| 21 | National Anti-Terrorism Day (death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi) | — | Government of India |
| 22 | International Day for Biological Diversity | Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development | CBD / UN |
| 28 | World Hunger Day | — | The Hunger Project |
| 29 | International Day of UN Peacekeepers | The Future of Peacekeeping | UN |
| 31 | World No Tobacco Day | Bright Products. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal. | WHO |
June
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World Milk Day | — | FAO |
| 3 | World Bicycle Day | — | UN |
| 5 | World Environment Day | Beat Plastic Pollution (Host: Republic of Korea, Jeju) | UNEP |
| 7 | World Food Safety Day | — | WHO / FAO |
| 8 | World Oceans Day | Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us | UN |
| 12 | World Day Against Child Labour | Progress Is Clear, but There’s More to Do | ILO |
| 14 | World Blood Donor Day | Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives | WHO |
| 15 | World Elder Abuse Awareness Day | Addressing Abuse of Older Adults in Long Term Care Facilities | UN |
| 15 | World Wind Day | — | EWEA / GWEC |
| 17 | World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought | Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities. | UNCCD / UN |
| 20 | World Refugee Day | Solidarity with Refugees | UNHCR / UN |
| 21 | International Day of Yoga | Yoga for One Earth, One Health | UN (India’s initiative) |
| 21 | World Music Day (Fete de la Musique) | — | — |
| 23 | International Olympic Day | — | IOC |
| 23 | United Nations Public Service Day | — | UN |
| 25 | World Drowning Prevention Day | Your Story Can Save a Life | WHO / UN |
| 26 | International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking | — | UN |
July
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Doctors’ Day (India — Dr B.C. Roy birth/death anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 1 | Chartered Accountants’ Day | — | ICAI, India |
| 6 | World Zoonoses Day | One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses | — |
| 11 | World Population Day | Empowering Young People to Create the Families They Want | UNFPA / UN |
| 15 | World Youth Skills Day | — | UN |
| 18 | Nelson Mandela International Day | It’s Still in Our Hands to Combat Poverty and Inequity | UN |
| 26 | Kargil Vijay Diwas | — | Government of India |
| 28 | World Nature Conservation Day | — | — |
| 28 | World Hepatitis Day | Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down | WHO |
| 29 | International Tiger Day | Securing the Future of Tigers with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities | IUCN / Global Tiger Forum |
| 30 | World Day Against Trafficking in Persons | — | UN |
| 30 | International Day of Friendship | — | UN |
August
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-7 | World Breastfeeding Week | — | WABA / WHO |
| 6 | Hiroshima Day (atomic bombing, 1945) | — | — |
| 7 | National Handloom Day | — | Government of India |
| 9 | Nagasaki Day / International Day Against Nuclear Tests | — | UN |
| 9 | International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | — | UN |
| 10 | World Lion Day | — | — |
| 12 | International Youth Day | Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond | UN |
| 12 | World Elephant Day | — | — |
| 13 | World Organ Donation Day | — | WHO |
| 15 | Indian Independence Day | — | Government of India |
| 19 | World Humanitarian Day | Strengthening Global Solidarity | UN |
| 19 | World Photography Day | — | — |
| 20 | Sadbhavana Diwas (Rajiv Gandhi birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 23 | National Space Day (Chandrayaan-3 landing anniversary, 2023) | — | Government of India |
| 29 | National Sports Day (Major Dhyan Chand birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 30 | International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances | — | UN |
September
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | World Coconut Day | — | Asian and Pacific Coconut Community |
| 5 | Teachers’ Day (India — Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 5 | International Day of Charity | — | UN |
| 7 | International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies | — | UN |
| 8 | International Literacy Day | Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era | UNESCO |
| 10 | World Suicide Prevention Day | — | WHO / IASP |
| 14 | Hindi Diwas | — | Government of India |
| 15 | International Day of Democracy | — | UN |
| 15 | Engineer’s Day (India — M. Visvesvaraya birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 16 | International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer | From Science to Global Action | UN |
| 16 | World Patient Safety Day | — | WHO |
| 21 | International Day of Peace | Act Now for a Peaceful World | UN |
| 22 | World Rhino Day | — | WWF |
| 25 | Antyodaya Diwas (Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 27 | World Tourism Day | Tourism and Sustainable Transformation | UNWTO |
| 27 | World Maritime Day | — | IMO |
| 28 | World Rabies Day | — | Global Alliance for Rabies Control |
| 29 | World Heart Day | — | World Heart Federation |
| 30 | International Translation Day | — | UN |
October
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Day of Older Persons | — | UN |
| 1 | International Coffee Day | — | ICO |
| 2 | Gandhi Jayanti / International Day of Non-Violence | — | Government of India / UN |
| 4 | World Animal Day | — | — |
| 5 | World Teachers’ Day | Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession | UNESCO |
| 8 | Indian Air Force Day | — | Government of India |
| 9 | World Post Day | — | UPU |
| 10 | World Mental Health Day | Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies | WHO |
| 11 | International Day of the Girl Child | — | UN |
| 13 | International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction | — | UNDRR |
| 15 | International Day of Rural Women | — | UN |
| 16 | World Food Day | Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future | FAO |
| 17 | International Day for the Eradication of Poverty | — | UN |
| 24 | United Nations Day | — | UN |
| 24 | World Polio Day | — | Rotary International / WHO |
| 27 | Infantry Day (India) | — | Indian Army |
| 31 | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas / National Unity Day (Sardar Patel Jayanti) | — | Government of India |
| 31 | World Cities Day | — | UN-Habitat |
November
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World Vegan Day | — | — |
| 5 | World Tsunami Awareness Day | — | UN |
| 7 | National Cancer Awareness Day | — | Government of India |
| 9 | Legal Services Day | — | Government of India |
| 10 | World Science Day for Peace and Development | Trust, Transformation, and Tomorrow: The Science We Need for 2050 | UNESCO |
| 11 | National Education Day (Maulana Abul Kalam Azad birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 12 | World Pneumonia Day | — | WHO |
| 14 | World Diabetes Day | Diabetes Across Life Stages | WHO / IDF |
| 14 | Children’s Day (India — Jawaharlal Nehru birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 16 | International Day for Tolerance | — | UN |
| 19 | World Toilet Day | Sanitation in a Changing World | UN |
| 20 | World Children’s Day | My Day, My Rights | UNICEF |
| 21 | World Television Day | — | UN |
| 21 | World Fisheries Day | — | — |
| 25 | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | — | UN |
| 26 | Constitution Day / Samvidhan Diwas (India) | — | Government of India |
| 30 | International Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare | — | OPCW / UN |
December
| Date | Day / Event | Theme (2025) | Observed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | World AIDS Day | Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response | UNAIDS / WHO |
| 2 | National Pollution Control Day (Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 1984) | — | Government of India |
| 2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery | — | UN |
| 3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies | UN |
| 4 | Indian Navy Day (Operation Trident, 1971) | — | Indian Navy |
| 5 | International Volunteer Day | — | UN |
| 5 | World Soil Day | Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities | FAO / UN |
| 7 | Armed Forces Flag Day (India) | — | Government of India |
| 7 | International Civil Aviation Day | — | ICAO |
| 9 | International Anti-Corruption Day | Uniting with Youth Against Corruption | UN / UNODC |
| 10 | Human Rights Day | Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials | UN |
| 11 | International Mountain Day | — | UN / FAO |
| 14 | National Energy Conservation Day | — | Bureau of Energy Efficiency, India |
| 16 | Vijay Diwas (Indo-Pak War 1971, Bangladesh liberation) | — | Government of India |
| 18 | International Migrants Day | — | UN |
| 18 | Minorities Rights Day (India) | — | National Commission for Minorities |
| 22 | National Mathematics Day (Srinivasa Ramanujan birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 23 | Kisan Diwas / National Farmers’ Day (Chaudhary Charan Singh birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
| 25 | Good Governance Day (Atal Bihari Vajpayee birth anniversary) | — | Government of India |
Key Facts for Quick Revision
Facts Corner – Knowledgepedia
UN-Declared International Days:
- The UN General Assembly, UNESCO, WHO, FAO, ILO, UNEP, and other UN agencies declare international days
- International Day of Clean Energy (January 26) was declared by UNGA in August 2023, first observed in 2024
- World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25) was established in April 2021 by UNGA
- 2025 is the UN International Year of Cooperatives
India-Specific National Days:
- Republic Day: January 26 (Constitution came into effect, 1950)
- Independence Day: August 15 (1947)
- Gandhi Jayanti: October 2 (Mahatma Gandhi birth anniversary)
- Constitution Day: November 26 (adopted in 1949, came into effect January 26, 1950)
- National Voters Day: January 25 (Election Commission of India founded, 1950)
- National Science Day: February 28 (C.V. Raman discovered Raman Effect, 1928)
- National Technology Day: May 11 (Pokhran-II nuclear tests, 1998)
- National Sports Day: August 29 (Major Dhyan Chand birth anniversary)
- National Space Day: August 23 (Chandrayaan-3 landing, 2023)
- Teachers’ Day: September 5 (Dr S. Radhakrishnan birth anniversary)
- Children’s Day: November 14 (Jawaharlal Nehru birth anniversary)
WHO Health Days (Key):
- World Health Day: April 7 (WHO founding day, 1948)
- World TB Day: March 24 (Dr Robert Koch announced TB bacillus discovery, 1882)
- World Malaria Day: April 25
- World No Tobacco Day: May 31
- World Blood Donor Day: June 14 (Karl Landsteiner birth anniversary – ABO blood group discoverer)
- World Hepatitis Day: July 28 (Dr Baruch Blumberg birth anniversary – Hepatitis B discoverer)
- World AIDS Day: December 1
- World Diabetes Day: November 14 (Frederick Banting birth anniversary – co-discoverer of insulin)
Other Relevant Facts:
- Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970; founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson
- World Environment Day has been celebrated since 1973; hosted by a different country each year
- International Day of Yoga was declared by UNGA on December 11, 2014; proposed by PM Modi; first celebrated June 21, 2015
- World Wetlands Day marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention (February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran)
- World Wildlife Day marks the adoption of CITES (March 3, 1973)
- World Ozone Day: September 16 marks the signing of the Montreal Protocol (1987)
- World Tourism Day: September 27 marks the adoption of UNWTO Statutes (1970)
- Human Rights Day: December 10 marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Sources: United Nations Observances, WHO Campaigns, UNESCO Days, PIB India
