Key Highlights
- Small Savings Scheme rates remain unchanged for Oct–Dec 2025 quarter.
- Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS): 8.2% interest rate.
- Public Provident Fund (PPF): 7.1% interest rate.
- National Savings Certificate (NSC): 7.7% interest rate.
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSA): continues at 8.2% interest rate.
Government Keeps Small Savings Rates Unchanged
The central government has made no changes to the interest rates for small savings schemes for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. The announcement covers schemes such as the Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificates (NSC), and the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS).
This means that despite inflation cooling and a recent reduction in the repo rate, the government has kept interest rates for these post office-linked schemes steady.
Small Savings Interest Rates for Oct–Dec 2025
| Scheme | Interest Rate (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) | 8.2% |
| Monthly Income Account Scheme | 7.4% |
| National Savings Certificate (NSC) | 7.7% |
| Public Provident Fund (PPF) | 7.1% |
| Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) | 7.5% |
| Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSA) | 8.2% |
Rates Unchanged Despite Repo Cuts and Low Inflation
The Reserve Bank of India’s repo rate stood at 6.5% in January 2025 and has been reduced by 1 percentage point since then, with cuts in February (0.25%), April (0.25%), and June (0.5%). Currently, the repo rate is 5.5%.
Meanwhile, retail inflation eased to 2.07% in August 2025. Yields on 10-year government securities also fell from 6.78% to 6.48% during the year.
When Were Rates Last Changed?
The last revision in small savings rates was in the Jan–Mar 2024 quarter. At that time:
- Three-year fixed deposit rates increased from 7.0% to 7.1%.
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana rates were raised from 8.0% to 8.2%.
- Most other scheme rates remained unchanged.
Note: The government reviews small savings interest rates every quarter, aligning them broadly with government bond yields, but adjustments are not automatic.
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