The schemes in brief
- NSC: 5-year certificate; interest compounds yearly and is paid at maturity.
- KVP: your money doubles in 115 months (9 years 7 months).
- MIS: pays interest every month for 5 years, then returns your deposit.
- SCSS: for people 60 and above (55 for some retirees); pays interest every quarter for 5 years.
See all current rates on our small savings rates page.
Questions people ask
Which post office scheme gives the highest return?
For October – December 2026, SCSS (for people aged 60 and above) and Sukanya Samriddhi pay 8.2%, NSC 7.7%, KVP and the 5-year time deposit 7.5%, and MIS 7.4%.
Is interest from these schemes taxable?
Yes, for NSC, KVP, MIS and SCSS the interest is taxable at your slab rate. NSC and SCSS deposits qualify for the 80C deduction in the old regime.
What are the deposit limits?
MIS: up to ₹9 lakh in a single account (₹15 lakh joint). SCSS: up to ₹30 lakh. NSC and KVP have no upper limit. All start from ₹1,000.
Method and sources
Rates as notified for October – December 2026. NSC: compounded yearly for 5 years. KVP: amount doubles in 115 months. MIS: rate ÷ 12 paid monthly for 5 years. SCSS: rate ÷ 4 paid quarterly for 5 years. Your rate is fixed on the day you invest. How we calculate.
Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026 by the WealthFeedz team.