सुकन्या समृद्धि योजना 2026: ब्याज दर, खाता खोलने की प्रक्रिया और टैक्स छूट
Quick facts: For girl child under age 10 · min ₹250/year, max ₹1.5 lakh/year · interest 8.2% p.a. (Q4 FY26) · triple tax benefit (EEE) · matures at 21 years or on marriage after 18 · open at any post office or authorised bank.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) is the government’s most tax-efficient savings scheme built specifically for a girl child’s future. Of every 100 small-savings investors in India, roughly 30 now have at least one SSY account, and the scheme has crossed 4 crore active accounts nationwide. If you’re a parent (or legal guardian) of a daughter under 10, opening an SSY account is one of the few financial decisions that stacks three benefits at once — the highest fixed-income return available, deduction under Section 80C, and tax-free maturity proceeds.
SSY क्या है — What the Scheme Offers
Launched in January 2015 under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative, SSY is a long-term savings account in the girl child’s name, operated by her parent or legal guardian until she turns 18.
- Deposit range: minimum ₹250 per financial year, maximum ₹1,50,000 per year
- Interest rate: 8.2% per annum for Q4 FY 2025-26 (rate is revised every quarter)
- Deposit term: 15 years from account opening (you deposit for 15 years; account stays active and earns interest until year 21)
- Maturity: 21 years from account opening OR on the girl’s marriage after she turns 18 (whichever is earlier)
- Tax treatment: EEE — Exempt at contribution (Sec 80C), Exempt on interest earned, Exempt on maturity
- Withdrawal: up to 50% of prior-year balance can be withdrawn after age 18 for higher education or marriage
At a sustained 8.2% (which is close to recent averages), a ₹1.5 lakh annual investment for 15 years compounds to approximately ₹68-72 lakh at maturity — entirely tax-free.
पात्रता — Who Can Open an Account
- Girl child resident in India, below age 10 at the time of account opening
- Account opened by biological parent or legal guardian
- Maximum two accounts per family (one per girl child). Exception: three accounts allowed in case of twins or triplets in the second birth
- Only one account per girl child across all India (even across banks and post offices — duplicate accounts are closed and interest refunded)
Special cases
- NRI daughter: not eligible (must be a resident at time of opening; if she becomes NRI after opening, account continues until existing maturity)
- Adopted girl child: eligible, with adoption certificate
- Single parent: eligible; legal guardianship proof required if not biological mother/father
आवश्यक दस्तावेज़ — Documents Required
- Birth certificate of the girl child (mandatory — no alternative)
- Aadhaar card of the guardian and the child (if available)
- Address proof of the guardian (Aadhaar / passport / voter ID / utility bill)
- Two passport-size photos of the guardian
- PAN of the guardian (if annual contribution is ₹50,000+)
- Account opening form (Form SSA-1, available at post office or bank)
खाता कैसे खोलें — How to Open the Account
SSY accounts can be opened at:
- Any post office across India (India Post handles the majority of SSY accounts)
- Authorised public-sector banks — SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank, etc.
- Authorised private banks — HDFC, ICICI, Axis (check current list at India Post’s site; new banks get added periodically)
Step-by-step (Bank / Post Office walk-in)
- Pick up Form SSA-1 from the branch or download from the bank’s website
- Fill in: girl’s name + DOB, guardian’s details, contact number, nominee (the child herself is default)
- Attach the required documents
- Make initial deposit — minimum ₹250, any amount up to ₹1.5 lakh is fine
- Submit at the counter; get your passbook on the spot
Online option
Most partner banks let you open and manage SSY accounts through their net-banking/mobile apps if you already have a savings account there — for instance, SBI’s YONO app and ICICI iMobile both support SSY. The flow is: login → open-new-account → SSY → upload birth certificate → deposit.
Post offices do not yet support fully-online new-account opening — the initial deposit and KYC must be done in branch.
Annual Deposit Rules
- Minimum ₹250 per financial year — missing this makes the account “discontinued”
- A discontinued account can be revived by paying a ₹50 penalty per missed year + the ₹250 minimum for each missed year
- Maximum ₹1,50,000 per financial year across all instalments (split across months as you wish)
- Deposits only for the first 15 years from opening. After year 15, no further deposits; balance continues earning interest till year 21
Partial Withdrawal and Premature Closure
After the girl turns 18
- Up to 50% of prior-year balance can be withdrawn in one or more instalments for:
- Higher education (class 12 pass + proof of admission)
- Marriage (not earlier than 1 month before or 3 months after marriage)
- Rest of the balance continues to earn interest
Full maturity closure
- On completing 21 years from opening OR on marriage after age 18
Premature closure (restricted)
- Allowed only on death of the account holder (corpus goes to guardian/nominee), or on medical grounds documented by treating hospital
- Not allowed for routine reasons — the design is specifically long-term
Interest Rate History (for reference)
| Quarter | Rate |
|---|---|
| FY 2025-26 Q4 | 8.2% |
| FY 2025-26 Q3 | 8.2% |
| FY 2024-25 | 8.2% |
| FY 2023-24 | 8.0% |
| FY 2022-23 | 7.6% |
| FY 2021-22 | 7.6% |
Rates are reviewed quarterly by the Ministry of Finance. The floor is the 10-year G-sec yield + a small spread, so rates tend to stay 50-75 bps above similar-tenure FDs.
Tax Benefits (EEE)
- Section 80C deduction: up to ₹1,50,000/year on the contribution (shared with PPF, LIC, ELSS, etc.)
- Interest: tax-free each year (no TDS)
- Maturity amount: entirely tax-free to the girl child
To claim Sec 80C: 1. Keep your passbook or e-passbook as proof 2. Use the certificate from the bank/post office during ITR filing (or enter the deposit under 80C section directly)
FAQ — Common Questions
Can I open SSY for my stepdaughter or adopted daughter? Yes — adopted daughters are eligible with adoption certificate. Step-daughter is eligible if you are the legal guardian.
What if I can only afford ₹250 a year? That’s fine. The minimum is ₹250 and the account stays active as long as you deposit at least that each year. At 8.2%, even small consistent deposits compound meaningfully over 15 years.
Can I transfer the SSY account from post office to a bank (or vice versa)? Yes — transfers are allowed anywhere in India, free of charge once during the account lifetime. Fill the transfer request form at the source branch.
Does the interest rate lock at the time of opening? No. SSY interest is re-fixed every quarter and applies prospectively. Historical deposits earn their respective quarter rates; the balance earns the current rate.
My daughter is 11 now — is it too late? Yes. Account must be opened before the girl turns 10. After that, other options are PPF (in her name after 18) and ELSS mutual funds via your account.
Can I deposit via UPI / online transfer? Yes — if the account is at a partner bank supporting online SSY. Post-office-based SSY accounts require branch visit, cheque, or India Post e-banking (limited rollout).
Related guides on LabhKosh
- PPF vs Sukanya Samriddhi: Which for Your Daughter?
- Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana Bihar
- Section 80C Tax Saving Guide 2026
- Ladli Behna Yojana MP
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Last verified: 20 April 2026. Official source: https://www.indiapost.gov.in · https://nsiindia.gov.in