Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) is a government-backed small savings scheme specifically designed for investors seeking a fixed income option in their old age . It currently offers the joint highest interest rate of 8.2% among all small savings schemes along with Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSY). The 8.2% interest rate in SCSS is applicable for the January- March quarter.
The government revises the small savings scheme interest rates including that of SCSS every quarter. For the January – March 2026 quarter, the government has not revised the interest rate of any small savings scheme, including SCSS, in its quarterly review meeting in December 2025.
When leading banks are lowering fixed deposit interest rates following repo rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SCSS is offering quite a high interest rate compared to them. Most 1-5 year bank FD rates these days are in the range of 6-7.5%. However, the difference is that while there is a deposit limit in SCSS, bank FDs have no such limits.
Also read: Have PPF, NSC, SCSS interest rates changed for January-March 2026? Check latest rates of small savings scheme announced
SCSS account deposit limit There will be only one deposit in the account in multiple of Rs 1,000 with the maximum amount being Rs 30 lakh.
After the small savings scheme interest rate quarterly review meeting in December 2025, the Ministry of Communications said in its press release dated December 31, 2025: “The undersigned is directed to intimate that. vide memorandum No. 1/4/2019-NS dated 31.12.2025 (copy enclosed), Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (Budget Division) has informed that the rates of interest on various Small Saving
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