Important Days in November and December: Full List
Important days of November and December for exams: national and international observances with the anniversary or event behind each date and the facts asked.
By GK24 Editorial Team· Published · 6 min read
November and December together carry more important days than any other pair of months in the Indian calendar, because the last two months of the year hold several constitutional anniversaries, three of the four military and security commemorations, and a long run of United Nations observances. A question on this topic is never more than one line long: it gives the date and asks for the day, or gives the day and asks for the date. What earns the mark is knowing the reason behind the date, because the reason is what fixes the pair in memory and the reason is what a harder question asks for directly.
Important days in November
| Date | Day | Why this date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 November | Formation day of several states | Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab date from the reorganisation of 1956; Haryana from 1966 and Chhattisgarh from 2000 |
| 5 November | World Tsunami Awareness Day | Designated by the United Nations in 2015 |
| 7 November | National Cancer Awareness Day | Birth anniversary of Marie Curie |
| 9 November | National Legal Services Day, and Uttarakhand Foundation Day | The Legal Services Authorities Act came into force on this day in 1995; Uttarakhand was formed in 2000 |
| 10 November | World Science Day for Peace and Development | Declared by UNESCO |
| 11 November | National Education Day | Birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first Education Minister, born in 1888 |
| 12 November | World Pneumonia Day, and National Public Service Broadcasting Day | Mahatma Gandhi made his only visit to an All India Radio studio on this day in 1947 |
| 14 November | Children's Day in India, and World Diabetes Day | Birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, born in 1889; and of Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin |
| 15 November | Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, and Jharkhand Foundation Day | Birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, born in 1875; Jharkhand was formed in 2000 |
| 16 November | National Press Day, and International Day for Tolerance | The Press Council of India began work on this day in 1966 |
| 19 November | National Integration Day, World Toilet Day and International Men's Day | Birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi, born in 1917 |
| 20 November | World Children's Day | The Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, both on this date |
| 21 November | World Television Day and World Fisheries Day | United Nations observances |
| 25 November | International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | United Nations observance |
| 26 November | Constitution Day, and National Milk Day | The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on this day in 1949; birth anniversary of Verghese Kurien, born in 1921 |
Important days in December
| Date | Day | Why this date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 December | World AIDS Day, and BSF Raising Day | First observed in 1988; the Border Security Force was raised on this day in 1965 |
| 2 December | National Pollution Control Day | In memory of those who died in the Bhopal gas tragedy on the night of 2 and 3 December 1984 |
| 3 December | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | United Nations observance; also the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| 4 December | Indian Navy Day | Operation Trident, the Navy's attack on Karachi harbour in the 1971 war, began on this day |
| 5 December | World Soil Day and International Volunteer Day | United Nations observances |
| 6 December | Mahaparinirvan Diwas | Death anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who died in 1956 |
| 7 December | Armed Forces Flag Day, and International Civil Aviation Day | Observed in India since 1949 to raise funds for the welfare of service personnel and their families |
| 9 December | International Anti-Corruption Day | The United Nations Convention against Corruption was opened for signature in 2003 |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948; the Nobel Prizes are also awarded on this day |
| 11 December | International Mountain Day, and UNICEF's founding day | UNICEF was created in 1946 on this date |
| 14 December | National Energy Conservation Day | Observed in India by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency |
| 16 December | Vijay Diwas | Pakistan's forces surrendered at Dhaka on this day in 1971, ending the war |
| 18 December | National Minorities Rights Day, and International Migrants Day | The UN adopted its declaration on the rights of minorities on this date in 1992 |
| 19 December | Goa Liberation Day | Goa was freed from Portuguese rule on this day in 1961 after Operation Vijay |
| 22 December | National Mathematics Day | Birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, born in 1887 |
| 23 December | Kisan Diwas, or National Farmers' Day | Birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, born in 1902 |
| 24 December | National Consumers Day | The Consumer Protection Act received the President's assent on this day in 1986 |
| 25 December | Christmas, and Good Governance Day | Birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, born in 1924 |
| 26 December | Veer Bal Diwas | Declared in 2022 in memory of the martyrdom of the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh |
How the two months group together
Four observances in these months come from a birth anniversary of an Indian leader, and learning them as a set removes most of the confusion: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad gives National Education Day on 11 November, Jawaharlal Nehru gives Children's Day on 14 November, Indira Gandhi gives National Integration Day on 19 November, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee gives Good Governance Day on 25 December. Three more come from the anniversary of a person who was not a politician: Verghese Kurien, the architect of Operation Flood, gives National Milk Day on 26 November, Srinivasa Ramanujan gives National Mathematics Day on 22 December, and Chaudhary Charan Singh gives Kisan Diwas on 23 December.
Three come from a legal or constitutional date. Constitution Day on 26 November marks the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in 1949, two months before it came into force on 26 January 1950, and that gap between adoption and commencement is itself a question. National Legal Services Day on 9 November marks the day the Legal Services Authorities Act came into force in 1995, and National Consumers Day on 24 December marks the assent given to the Consumer Protection Act in 1986.
Three come from the armed forces and the security establishment. The Border Security Force was raised on 1 December 1965, so that is BSF Raising Day. Armed Forces Flag Day on 7 December has been observed since 1949, and the small flags sold on that day raise money for the welfare of serving and retired personnel and their families. Indian Navy Day on 4 December recalls Operation Trident of the 1971 war, and Vijay Diwas on 16 December marks the end of that war with the surrender at Dhaka.
The rest are United Nations and UNESCO observances, and the two that carry the most weight in papers are Human Rights Day on 10 December, for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, and World AIDS Day on 1 December, the first of the great global health observances, first held in 1988.
Exam Point of View
Every question on this topic is a matching question, so the whole preparation is the date and reason pair. Papers favour the days that carry a second fact with them: 26 November, because Constitution Day and National Milk Day share it and because the Constitution was adopted then but came into force on 26 January; 14 November, because Children's Day and World Diabetes Day share it; and 1 December, because World AIDS Day and BSF Raising Day share it. The traps are to place Children's Day on 20 November, which is World Children's Day of the United Nations and a different observance altogether, to confuse National Education Day on 11 November with Teachers' Day on 5 September, and to put Vijay Diwas in a wrong month when the same 1971 war gives Navy Day on 4 December. Learn the person behind each anniversary and the reason questions answer themselves.
Important Facts
| 5 November | World Tsunami Awareness Day, designated by the UN in 2015 |
|---|---|
| 11 November | National Education Day, birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad |
| 14 November | Children's Day in India and World Diabetes Day |
| 15 November | Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, birth anniversary of Birsa Munda |
| 16 November | National Press Day and International Day for Tolerance |
| 19 November | National Integration Day, World Toilet Day and International Men's Day |
| 26 November | Constitution Day and National Milk Day |
| 1 December | World AIDS Day and BSF Raising Day |
| 2 December | National Pollution Control Day |
| 4 December | Indian Navy Day |
| 6 December | Mahaparinirvan Diwas, death anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| 7 December | Armed Forces Flag Day, observed since 1949 |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day and the day the Nobel Prizes are awarded |
| 16 December | Vijay Diwas, for the surrender at Dhaka in 1971 |
| 19 December | Goa Liberation Day, for the liberation of 1961 |
| 22 December | National Mathematics Day, birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan |
| 23 December | Kisan Diwas, birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh |
| 25 December | Good Governance Day, birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Practice MCQs on this topic
Children's Day is celebrated in India on 14 November to mark the birth anniversary of which leader?
- A.Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- B.Jawaharlal Nehru
- C.Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
- D.Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Show answer
India's first Prime Minister was born on 14 November 1889, and because of his known fondness for children, who called him Chacha Nehru, his birthday was adopted as Children's Day after his death in 1964.
Read the full explanation →National Education Day is observed in India on which date?
- A.5 September
- B.11 November
- C.14 November
- D.26 November
Show answer
The date is the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, born in 1888, who was independent India's first Minister of Education and the moving spirit behind the founding of the University Grants Commission and the Indian Institutes of Technology.
Read the full explanation →Constitution Day is observed in India on 26 November because on that day in 1949 the Constituent Assembly did which of the following?
- A.Held its first sitting
- B.Adopted the Constitution of India
- C.Brought the Constitution into force
- D.Elected the Drafting Committee
Show answer
The Constituent Assembly adopted, enacted and gave to itself the Constitution on 26 November 1949, and the Government of India has observed the date as Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, since 2015.
Read the full explanation →National Milk Day is observed in India on 26 November to mark the birth anniversary of which person?
- A.M. S. Swaminathan
- B.Verghese Kurien
- C.Tribhuvandas Patel
- D.Norman Borlaug
Show answer
Born on 26 November 1921, Kurien is called the Father of the White Revolution in India. He built the Amul cooperative at Anand in Gujarat and led Operation Flood, the programme that made India the largest producer of milk in the world, and the day has been observed since 2014.
Read the full explanation →World AIDS Day is observed every year on which date?
- A.1 December
- B.7 December
- C.10 December
- D.2 December
Show answer
World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988 and was the first global health day of its kind, set aside to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS and to remember those who have died of the disease.
Read the full explanation →National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2 December in memory of which event?
- A.The Chernobyl nuclear accident
- B.The Bhopal gas tragedy
- C.The signing of the Kyoto Protocol
- D.The Stockholm Conference on the environment
Show answer
On the night of 2 and 3 December 1984 methyl isocyanate gas leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal and killed thousands of people, in what remains the worst industrial disaster in India.
Read the full explanation →Indian Navy Day is celebrated on 4 December to mark which operation of the 1971 war?
- A.Operation Vijay
- B.Operation Trident
- C.Operation Cactus
- D.Operation Meghdoot
Show answer
On the night of 4 December 1971 Indian missile boats attacked Karachi harbour, sank Pakistani vessels and set the fuel installations ashore on fire, without losing a ship.
Read the full explanation →Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December because on that day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly did which of the following?
- A.Adopted the United Nations Charter
- B.Adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- C.Created the Human Rights Council
- D.Adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Show answer
The General Assembly adopted the Declaration in Paris on 10 December 1948, and the date has been observed as Human Rights Day since 1950.
Read the full explanation →National Mathematics Day is observed in India on 22 December to mark the birth anniversary of which mathematician?
- A.Aryabhata
- B.Srinivasa Ramanujan
- C.C. V. Raman
- D.Brahmagupta
Show answer
The largely self taught mathematician was born at Erode in Tamil Nadu on 22 December 1887, worked with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society at the age of thirty-one.
Read the full explanation →Kisan Diwas, or National Farmers' Day, is observed on 23 December as the birth anniversary of which former Prime Minister?
- A.Lal Bahadur Shastri
- B.Chaudhary Charan Singh
- C.Morarji Desai
- D.Chandra Shekhar
Show answer
Born on 23 December 1902, he served as Prime Minister in 1979 and 1980 and is remembered above all as a champion of the peasantry, whose writings and land reform measures were built around the small farmer.
Read the full explanation →Vijay Diwas is observed in India on 16 December every year to mark which event?
- A.The victory in the Kargil conflict of 1999
- B.The surrender of Pakistani forces at Dhaka in 1971
- C.The liberation of Goa in 1961
- D.The ceasefire in the war of 1965
Show answer
Pakistan's eastern command surrendered to the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini at Dhaka on 16 December 1971, ending a war of thirteen days and leading to the creation of Bangladesh, which observes the same date as its Victory Day.
Read the full explanation →National Press Day is observed in India on which date?
- A.3 May
- B.16 November
- C.12 November
- D.26 November
Show answer
The Press Council of India, the statutory watchdog of the press set up to preserve its freedom and to maintain its standards, began functioning on 16 November 1966, and the date is observed as National Press Day in recognition of a free and responsible press.
Read the full explanation →Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Children's Day celebrated on 14 November in India?
Because it is the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, born on 14 November 1889. Nehru was known among children as Chacha Nehru for his affection for them, and after his death in 1964 his birthday was adopted as Children's Day. The United Nations observes World Children's Day separately, on 20 November.
Why is 26 November observed as Constitution Day?
Because the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949. It came into force two months later, on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day. The Government of India began observing 26 November as Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, in 2015. The same date is also National Milk Day.
Which important days fall on 1 December?
Two. World AIDS Day, first observed in 1988 and the earliest of the great global health observances, and the Raising Day of the Border Security Force, which was raised on 1 December 1965 after the war of that year. Questions often pair the two, so both are worth remembering together.
Why is National Mathematics Day observed on 22 December?
It marks the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the self taught mathematician from Erode, born on 22 December 1887. The Government of India declared the date National Mathematics Day in 2012, on the hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of his birth.
What does Vijay Diwas on 16 December commemorate?
The end of the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. Pakistan's eastern command surrendered at Dhaka on 16 December 1971, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. The same war gives Indian Navy Day on 4 December, for Operation Trident, the Navy's attack on Karachi harbour.
Why is National Pollution Control Day observed on 2 December?
In memory of those killed by the leak of methyl isocyanate gas from a pesticide plant in Bhopal on the night of 2 and 3 December 1984, the worst industrial disaster in India. The day is used to spread awareness of industrial safety and of the laws that control pollution.
Sources
- International Days and Weeks — United Nations
- National Portal of India: About India and National Symbols — Government of India
