Govt keeps interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for eighth quarter

The government on Monday left interest rates unchanged for various small savings schemes, including PPF and NSC, for the eighth straight quarter, beginning April 1, 2026.

"The rates of interest on various Small Savings Schemes for the first quarter of FY 2026-27, starting from April 1, 2026, and ending on June 30, 2026, shall remain unchanged from those notified for the fourth quarter (January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026) of FY 2025-26," the finance ministry said in a notification.

As per the notification, deposits under the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme will attract an interest rate of 8.2 per cent, while the rate on a three-year term deposit remains at 7.1 per cent prevailing in the current quarter.

The interest rates for popular Public Provident Fund (PPF) and post office savings deposit schemes have been retained at 7.1 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.

The interest rate on the Kisan Vikas Patra will be 7.5 per cent, and the investments will mature in 115 months.

The interest rate on the National Savings Certificate (NSC) will stay at 7.7 per cent for the April-June quarter.

Like the current quarter, the monthly income scheme will earn 7.4 per cent for investors during the first quarter of the next fiscal.

With this, the interest rates on small savings schemes, mainly operated by post offices and banks, have been left unchanged for the eighth consecutive quarter.

The government last changed the interest rate on some schemes in the fourth quarter of 2023-24.