The government on September 30 kept interest rates unchanged on all small savings schemes for the October-December 2026 quarter.
The rates for popular schemes, including the Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificate (NSC), Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) and Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), will remain unchanged.
“The rates of interest on various Small Savings Schemes for the third quarter of FY 2026-27 starting from 1st October, 2026 and ending on 31st December, 2026 shall remain unchanged from those notified for the second quarter (1st July, 2026 to 30th September, 2026) of FY 2026-27,” the Finance Ministry said.
The government’s quarterly review has determined the interest rate that applies to ten post office schemes.
Every quarter, the government reviews the interest rates for small-savings plans. The government has maintained the interest rates for the post office schemes in spite of the recent bond market move that saw a significant rise in the 10-year G-sec yield.
Here’s what post office schemes are offering now.
Key benefits of post office savings schemes
Here are the key benefits of the small savings schemes:
Post Office Savings Account(SB)
Minimum amount required for account opening: Rs 500
Maximum deposit limit: No limit
Minimum withdrawal amount: Rs 50
Account maintenance fee: If the account amount is less than Rs. 500 at the end of the financial year, an account maintenance fee of Rs. 50 will be charged; if the account balance is zero, the account will be closed immediately.
Interest rate: 4% per annum. If the amount at any point between the tenth and the last day of the month is less than Rs. 500, no interest will be paid.
National Savings Recurring Deposit Account(RD)
Minimum amount required for account opening: Rs 100/- per month or any amount in multiples of Rs 10/-.
Maximum deposit limit: No limit
Premature closure rules: After three years from the date of account opening, a post office RD account can be closed prematurely and in such cases, the post office savings account rate will be applicable.
Tenure: 5 years
Interest rate: 6.7% per annum
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme Account(MIS)
Minimum amount required for account opening: Rs 1000 or any amount in multiples of Rs 1,000
Maximum deposit limit: Rs 9 lakh in a single account and Rs 15 lakh in a joint account
Interest rate: 7.4 % per annum
Premature withdrawal: Allowed only after 1 year of account opening.
Tenure: 5 years
Senior Citizens Savings Scheme Account(SCSS)
Minimum deposit: Rs. 1000 and in multiples of 1000
Maximum deposit limit: Rs 30 lakhs in all SCSS accounts opened by an individual.
Interest rate: 8.2% per annum, payable quarterly.
Premature closure: The account can be closed before or after 1 year of account opening, subject to certain conditions.
Account extension: A SCSS account may be extended multiple times for a further 3-year block term within a year of the maturity date or from the end of each 3-year block period.
Tenure: 5 years
Public Provident Fund Account(PPF)
Minimum deposit: Rs 500
Maximum deposit: Rs 1.5 lakh in a financial year. Deposits in PPF can be made in lump sum or installments.
Interest rate: 7.1% per annum
Withdrawal: Allowed only after 5 years of account opening.
Tenure: 15 years
Extension: PPF account can be extended for a further block period of 5 years.
Premature withdrawal: Allowed only after 5 years of account opening.
Sukanya Samriddhi Account(SSA)
Minimum deposit: Rs 250
Maximum deposit: Rs 1.5 lakh
Interest rate: 8.2% per annum
Withdrawal: Up to 50% of the balance at the end of the previous financial year can be withdrawn for education. The withdrawal is allowed after the girl child turns 18 or passes Class 10, whichever comes earlier. It can be taken as a lump sum or in installments, with one withdrawal per year for up to 5 years.
Premature closure: Allowed only after 5 years of account opening.
Closure on maturity: The account matures after 21 years. It can also be closed earlier, subject to certain conditions.
National Savings Time Deposit (TD)
Minimum deposit: Rs 1000/- and in multiples of 100.
Maximum deposit: No limit.
Interest rates: 6.9% to 7.5%
Premature closure: Allowed only after 6 months
Extension of account: Depositors could extend their TD account for a further term period once it matures.
Tenure: 1 year, 2-year, 3-year, 5 years
Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP)
Minimum deposit amount: Rs 1,000
Maximum deposit amount: No limit
Interest rate: 7.5 % (compounded yearly)
Premature closure: Allowed anytime before maturity, but subject to some conditions
Tenure: 115 months (9 years and 7 months)
Mahila Samman Savings Certificate
Minimum deposit: Rs. 1000/-
Maximum deposit: Rs. 200000/-
Interest rate: 7.5% per annum, compounded on a quarterly basis
Premature closure: Allowed only after 6 months of account opening.
Withdrawal: Once a year has passed from the account’s opening date but before it matures, the account holder may withdraw up to 40% of the eligible balance.
Closure on maturity: The individual will receive the eligible account balance after two years from the opening date.
National Savings Certificates (VIII Issue) (NSC)
Minimum deposit: Rs 1,000
Maximum deposit: No limit
Premature closure: Except in the following situations—the death of the account holder in a single account or any or all of the account holders in a joint account, forfeiture by a pledgee who is a Gazetted Officer, when the pledge is in accordance with this Scheme, and when a court orders it—the account cannot be closed prior to maturity.
Tenure: 5 years
Interest rate: 7.7%
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. Any illustrations, examples, or return projections used in this article are for explanatory purposes only and do not guarantee actual investment outcomes. The views and opinions expressed by experts quoted in this article are their own and should not be considered investment recommendations. Readers should consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.
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