New Delhi, Aug. 23 -- Do you have Rs.5 lakh to park safely for five years? Have you devised a strategy to invest these funds? What is your long-term strategy to build a meaningful corpus out of these investments?

It is vital for aspiring investors to answer these questions before making any investments. Furthermore, to help investors accomplish their objectives, two prominent schemes, the Public Provident Fund (PPF) and the National Savings Certificate (NSC), can offer government-backed assurance, returns and peace of mind.

As of 23 August 2026, the government has kept small-savings rates unchanged for the July-September 2026 quarter, with PPF (Public Provident Fund) at 7.1% and NSC (National Savings Certificate) at 7.7%.

Now, on a pre...