The National Savings Schemes (NSSs) are one of the very popular saving schemes in India. These are regulated by the Ministry of Finance. They are considered to be very safe and come with attractive returns.
These schemes also act as instruments of financial inclusion especially in the geographically inaccessible areas due to their implementation primarily through the Post Offices, which have reach far and wide.
Indian households’ savings in Post office time deposits and PPF (Public Provident Fund) have been increasing steadily since 2011. Below table give us an idea on the total outstanding amounts that are with various small savings schemes.
Some of the very popular schemes which fall under Small Savings Schemes are as below;
- PPF (Public Provident Fund)
- Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme
- Monthly Income Scheme (Monthly Income Account)
- Senior Citizen Savings Scheme
- KVP (Kisan Vikas Patra)
- NSC (National Savings Certificate)
- Time Deposits &
- Recurring Deposits
Latest Post Office Small Saving Schemes Interest rates Jan – Mar 2026
The Government of India announced the interest rates for small savings schemes for the January to March 2026 quarter today, December 31, 2025.
The Ministry of Finance has decided to keep the interest rates unchanged for all saving schemes, despite expectations of a potential cut due to recent RBI repo rate reductions throughout 2025. This marks the seventh consecutive quarter where rates for key schemes like PPF have remained steady.
Small Savings Interest Rates (Jan-Mar 2026)
| Scheme | Interest Rate (Jan-Mar 2026) | Compounding Frequency | Maximum Deposit (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Provident Fund (PPF) | 7.1% | Annual | 1.5 Lakh |
| Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSY) | 8.2% | Annual | 1.5 Lakh |
| Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) | 8.2% | Quarterly & Paid | 30 Lakh (w.e.f. FY 2023-24) |
| National Savings Certificate (NSC) | 7.7% | Annual (Paid at maturity) | No Limit |
| Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) | 7.5% (Matures in 115 months) | Annual | No Limit |
| Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (MIS) | 7.4% | Monthly & Paid | 9.5 Lakh Single A/c 15 Lakh Joint A/c |
| 5-Year Recurring Deposit (RD) | 6.7% | Quarterly | No Limit |
| Post Office Savings Account | 4.0% | Annual | No Limit |
Note : Most of these schemes (specifically PPF, SSY, and the 5-year Time Deposit) continue to offer tax benefits under the Old Tax Regime. The revised rates (if any) are applicable for all the new investments MADE during the respective period. For the existing investments under all the schemes (EXCEPT PPF & SUKANYA SAMRIDDHI SCHEME), the contracted interest rate remains unchanged until maturity. The revised rates (if any) are applicable for all the new investments MADE during the respective period.
Interest Rates on Post Office Time Deposits (FD) | Jan to Mar 2026
he rates for fixed-term deposits also remain at their previous levels:
- 1-Year Deposit: 6.9%
- 2-Year Deposit: 7.0%
- 3-Year Deposit: 7.1%
- 5-Year Deposit: 7.5%
Since the RBI has been cutting repo rates in 2025, the fact that the government held these rates steady makes them even more attractive compared to bank FDs.
Continue reading :
- Indian Household Savings Pattern 2024-25 | RBI’s latest Statistical data
- Do Small Savings Schemes Interest Rates Change Every Quarter? Fixed vs Variable Explained
(Post first published on : 31-Dec-2025)
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