Small savings scheme rates unchanged for October-December 2026

Interest rates on small savings schemes stay the same for the Oct-Dec 2026 quarter. SCSS and SSA still pay the top rate at 8.2%.

Rates by scheme

• PPF: 7.10% per year.
• NSC: 7.70% per year.
• POMIS: 7.40% per year.
• SCSS: 8.20% per year.
• SSA: 8.20% per year.
• KVP: 7.50% per year.
• POTD: 6.9% to 7.5% per year, depending on tenure.
• RD: 6.70% per year for the Jul-Sep quarter.

Tax breaks and limits

Money put into PPF, NSC, SCSS, SSA and 5-year POTD gets a tax deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh each year under Section 123 of the Income-Tax Act, 2025. Interest from PPF and SSA is tax-free.

POMIS needs a minimum of Rs 1,000. The cap is Rs 9 lakh for single accounts and Rs 15 lakh for joint ones. KVP starts at Rs 1,000 with no upper limit. SSA takes a minimum of Rs 250 a year and caps deposits at Rs 1.5 lakh annually.