Indian stock markets will remain closed on Tuesday, March 31, for Mahavir Jayanti and again on Friday, April 3, for Good Friday, giving investors a holiday-shortened trading week.Trading on the NSE and BSE will be suspended on both days across segments, including equity, equity derivatives, currency derivatives, securities lending and borrowing (SLB) and other market-linked instruments. The week will therefore have only three full trading sessions on Dalal Street.

Two market holidays next week

The National Stock Exchange of India and BSE have both listed March 31 and April 3 as official trading holidays for Mahavir Jayanti and Good Friday, respectively.The timing is also notable because March 31 marks the end of the financial year 2025-26, which means the holiday will fall on the final day of the fiscal year.

MCX open only in evening on Mahavir Jayanti, fully shut on Good Friday

Commodity traders will see a slightly different schedule.The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will remain closed during the morning session (9 am to 5 pm) on Mahavir Jayanti, but trading will resume in the evening session from 5 pm to 11:30 pm.On Good Friday, however, MCX will remain shut for both the morning and evening sessions, in line with several global markets that also close for the occasion.The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), meanwhile, will remain closed in both sessions on these holidays.There are 16 stock market holidays scheduled for 2026. With the two next week, several more closures are still lined up across the rest of the year.The next market holiday after Good Friday will be Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, followed by Maharashtra Day on May 1 and Bakri Id on May 28, as per the report.

Passengers flying within India will be able to choose a larger share of seats without paying extra from April 20, after aviation regulator DGCA directed airlines to offer at least 60 per cent of seats on every flight free of charge.The move follows concerns over airlines charging steep fees for seat selection, with the civil aviation ministry announcing on March 18 that it had asked the regulator to ensure fairer access for passengers.

New rule raises free seat quota from 20% to 60%

Acting on the ministry’s direction, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an amended Air Transport Circular on March 20, which will come into force 30 days later, effectively from April 20.Under the revised rules, airlines must ensure that at least 60 per cent of seats on any flight are available for selection without any additional charge. At present, only around 20 per cent of seats are generally offered free, while the rest attract a fee.The DGCA has also told airlines to keep their seat allocation policies transparent and clearly show the availability of free seats, along with any applicable conditions, on their booking platforms.“Airlines should maintain transparent seat allocation policies and clearly communicate the availability of free seats and applicable conditions on their booking interfaces,” the regulator said in the revised circular dated March 20.

Families on same booking should be seated together where possible

The regulator has further said that passengers travelling on the same PNR (Passenger Name Record) should, as far as practicable, be seated close to one another, which would ordinarily mean adjacent seats in the same row.An official cited by news agency PTI said that airlines are now preparing to implement the new directive.Seat selection charges currently range from Rs 200 to Rs 2,100, depending on factors such as front-row placement and extra legroom.

Airlines object, warn of possible fare hikes

The new rule comes against the backdrop of growing criticism over airlines levying hefty charges for add-on services, especially seat selection.However, the move has faced strong resistance from carriers. As per PTI, IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet objected to the decision last week, arguing that forcing airlines to make at least 60 per cent of seats free would hurt revenues and could eventually push up airfares.In a letter sent to the civil aviation ministry on March 20, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents the three carriers, urged the government to withdraw the decision.

Other optional service charges must also be clearly shown

Apart from seat selection, the DGCA has also directed airlines to display all charges for optional services such as carrying sports equipment or musical instruments in a clear and unambiguous manner on websites and booking portals.The regulator said airlines must also disclose any liability conditions in case of damage linked to such items.The change comes at a time when Indian airports are handling more than five lakh passengers daily, underlining the wide impact the new rule could have across the country’s fast-growing aviation market.DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai recently said the regulator is trying to simplify rules for airlines while also protecting passenger rights. Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce Aviation and Tourism Summit, he said the aim is to strike a balance between supporting airline growth and safeguarding travellers.“India’s aviation market is one of the fastest-growing in the world, but airlines are currently dealing with several operational hurdles,” Kidwai said, as quoted by news agency IANS.

Samantha Hutchison, the council’s assistant director of community services, said the classes offered “a fantastic opportunity for people to come together, share skills, experience different cultural cuisines and improve both their health and community wellbeing”.