New Delhi, May 8 -- Small savings schemes are popular among conservative investors in India because they are products of the Ministry of Finance and carry a sovereign guarantee, making them fully secure. The interest rates offered are also attractive compared to many other schemes in the financial market.

The central government has decided to keep interest rates for small savings schemes unchanged for the first quarter of the 2026-27 fiscal year. This marks the eighth consecutive quarter in which rates for popular instruments such as the Public Provident Fund (PPF), Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), and National Savings Certificate (NSC) have remained static.

These schemes, which are reviewed every quarter by the government, continu...