Free NSC calculator
Enter your deposit and the interest rate — and get the maturity value at 5 years, what you invested, the interest earned and which years' interest counts towards the 80C limit.
An estimate for planning — not financial, tax or legal advice. This tool is an estimate for planning: the NSC rate is notified every quarter and can change for new certificates, so the projection holds today's 7.7% steady for 5 years. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Check the rules table below before you rely on it.
Example figures are filled in. Replace them with your own numbers.
₹1,00,000 at 7.7% for 5 years: your NSC matures at ₹1,44,903 — ₹44,903 of interest on ₹1,00,000 invested.
Matures in 2031 · ₹34,543 of interest in years 1–4 counts as reinvested · ₹10,360 in the last year does not.
Interest compounded annually · rate held steady at 7.7% for all 5 years.
The figure is an estimate at the rate you enter, held steady for 5 years. The NSC rate is notified every quarter and can change for new certificates, and the interest is taxable in the year it accrues.
Select Calculate to keep up to five checks while this page is open.
Year by year
The balance grows year by year — interest is added each year but paid only at maturity, and the first four years' interest counts as reinvested.
| Year | Opening balance | Interest | Closing balance | 80C (old regime) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ₹1,00,000 | ₹7,700 | ₹1,07,700 | Yes — reinvested |
| Year 2 | ₹1,07,700 | ₹8,293 | ₹1,15,993 | Yes — reinvested |
| Year 3 | ₹1,15,993 | ₹8,931 | ₹1,24,924 | Yes — reinvested |
| Year 4 | ₹1,24,924 | ₹9,619 | ₹1,34,543 | Yes — reinvested |
| Year 5 | ₹1,34,543 | ₹10,360 | ₹1,44,903 | No — paid at maturity |
Understand the result
The National Savings Certificate (VIII Issue) is a 5-year government savings certificate sold at post offices. You deposit a lump sum — at least ₹1,000, in multiples of ₹100, with no maximum — and the balance earns the notified rate, 7.7% a year for October to December 2026, compounded annually. You receive nothing along the way: the interest is added each year and paid with your deposit at maturity. On ₹1,00,000 that builds ₹1,44,903 from ₹1,00,000 paid in. This calculator works out the maturity value from your own figures and lists the interest year by year.
Interest is added to the certificate each year and earns interest itself, but you receive nothing along the way. On ₹1,00,000 the interest is ₹44,903 — 31% of the maturity value — and all of it arrives in one payment at 5 years.
A quarterly review changes the rate only for new certificates. At 8% instead of 7.7%, ₹1,00,000 would mature at ₹1,46,933 — ₹2,030 more; at 7% it would mature at ₹1,40,255 — ₹4,648 less. Try a different rate to see what a change would do.
The interest is taxable in the year it accrues, but under the old regime the deposit and the first four years' interest can count towards the ₹1.5 lakh limit. On ₹1,00,000 that is ₹1,34,543 claimed over the years, if you have room — only the last year's ₹10,360 gets no deduction.
How it works
Enter your deposit first — the rate is already filled in with the current 7.7% — then read the maturity value, the interest and which years' interest counts as reinvested.
From ₹1,000, in multiples of ₹100, with no maximum — the example uses ₹1,00,000. It is a single lump sum, paid once when you buy the certificate.
7.7% is the rate notified for October to December 2026. It has been 7.7% since 1 April 2023 and is reviewed every quarter — the rate on the day you buy is fixed for your certificate for all 5 years.
The answer appears as you type — the maturity value at 5 years, what you invested, the total interest, and how much of that interest counts as reinvested in years 1 to 4 against how much arrives only in the last year.
Opening balance, interest and closing balance for each of the 5 years. The first four years' interest is treated as reinvested; the fifth year's interest is paid to you at maturity.
The calculation, explained
Each year the opening balance earns one year of interest at the rate you enter, rounded to the nearest rupee, and the interest is added to the balance. The maturity value is the deposit × (1 + rate ÷ 100)^5, rounded to the nearest rupee, and the fifth year's interest is the difference between that maturity value and the year-5 opening balance — so the table always ends exactly on the formula figure. The rate is the notified rate for October to December 2026, 7.7%, and the projection holds it steady for all 5 years — in reality it is reviewed every quarter, but the rate on the day you buy is fixed for your certificate.
Worked examples
One example for each everyday case, including one at the minimum deposit and one at ₹1,50,000. Select any example to load it into the calculator and check the working for yourself.
₹1,00,000 for 5 years at 7.7%. You invest ₹1,00,000 and interest adds ₹44,903. Of that, ₹34,543 accrues in years 1 to 4 and is treated as reinvested, and the last year's ₹10,360 is paid to you at maturity.
₹1,00,000 at 7.7% → maturity ₹1,44,903
₹50,000 for 5 years at 7.7%. You invest ₹50,000 and interest adds ₹22,452 — half the deposit, half the interest. The first four years' interest, ₹17,272, counts as reinvested under the old regime.
₹50,000 at 7.7% → maturity ₹72,452
₹1,50,000 for 5 years at 7.7%. You invest ₹1,50,000 and interest adds ₹67,355. The deposit uses the whole ₹1.5 lakh 80C limit in the year you buy, and the reinvested interest of ₹51,815 can count in the following years if you have room.
₹1,50,000 at 7.7% → maturity ₹2,17,355
₹10,000 for 5 years at 7.7%. You invest ₹10,000 and interest adds ₹4,490. The first four years' interest, ₹3,454, counts as reinvested, and the last year's ₹1,036 is paid at maturity.
₹10,000 at 7.7% → maturity ₹14,490
The smallest deposit the scheme allows — ₹1,000 for 5 years at 7.7%. You invest ₹1,000 and the certificate matures at ₹1,449. The scheme fixes ₹1,449.03 for every ₹1,000 at this rate.
₹1,000 at 7.7% → maturity ₹1,449
NSC rules at a glance
The current rate, the deposit limits, the fixed 5-year tenure, how the interest is paid, the rate lock, the 80C treatment of the reinvested interest, the tax on the interest and the early-exit rule. Every rule here comes from the Department of Posts or the Ministry of Finance — never from a blog or a competitor.
| Figure | Rule | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 7.7% a year (Oct–Dec 2026) | Current notified rate | The rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, notified by the Ministry of Finance on 30 September 2026. It has been 7.7% since 1 April 2023 and is reviewed every quarter — the next review is due around 31 December 2026. |
| ₹1,000 minimum, multiples of ₹100 | Deposit limits | At least ₹1,000 to buy a certificate, in multiples of ₹100, with no maximum and any number of certificates. Only ₹1.5 lakh a year can count for the 80C deduction under the old regime, and that limit is shared with EPF, PPF, life insurance premiums and the rest. |
| 5 years, fixed | Tenure | The certificate matures exactly 5 years from the date of deposit. It cannot be extended, and the rate on the day you buy is fixed for all 5 years, whatever happens to the rate for new certificates. |
| Compounded annually, paid at maturity | How interest works | Interest is added to the certificate each year and earns interest itself, but you receive nothing along the way — the whole amount, deposit plus five years of interest, arrives as one payment at maturity. |
| Rate locked at purchase | Rate lock | A quarterly review changes the rate only for certificates bought after it takes effect. A certificate you already hold keeps its original rate for the full five years. |
| Years 1–4 interest deemed reinvested | 80C (old regime) | The scheme treats the interest of each of the first four years as reinvested, so under the old regime it can count towards the ₹1.5 lakh 80C limit for that year, if you have room. On ₹1,00,000 that is ₹7,700, ₹8,293, ₹8,931 and ₹9,619 — ₹34,543 in all. |
| Last year's interest not reinvested | Tax | The fifth year's interest — ₹10,360 on ₹1,00,000 — is paid out at maturity, not reinvested, so it cannot count towards 80C. All NSC interest is taxable at your slab rate, in the year it accrues, in both tax regimes. |
| Premature encashment not allowed | Early exit | You cannot cash in an NSC early simply because you need the money. It can be closed before maturity only on the death of a holder, on forfeiture by a pledgee who is a gazetted officer, or by court order. |
| Reviewed every quarter | Rate reviews | Small savings rates are set by the Ministry of Finance every quarter. The rate for October to December 2026 was kept unchanged in the office memorandum of 30 September 2026; the next review is due around 31 December 2026 for January to March 2027. |
The rules are fixed — a 5-year term, interest paid only at maturity and the rate locked at purchase. The only judgement call is the rate you assume, and this page states it plainly: 7.7% is today's notified rate, not a promise for the next certificate you buy.
Common mistakes
NSC is simple on the surface — one deposit, one payment at 5 years — but the tax timing and the rate lock catch people out.
Interest is added to the certificate each year and earns interest itself, but you receive nothing along the way. On ₹1,00,000 the ₹7,700 of year 1 stays in the certificate — if you need regular income, the Post Office Monthly Income Scheme pays every month instead.
The scheme treats the interest of the first four years as reinvested, so it can count towards the ₹1.5 lakh limit under the old regime — ₹34,543 on ₹1,00,000. The last year's ₹10,360 is paid out at maturity, not reinvested, so it cannot count.
The rate is reviewed every quarter and a later review changes the rate only for new certificates. At 7% instead of 7.7%, ₹1,00,000 builds ₹1,40,255 instead of ₹1,44,903 — ₹4,648 less. Try a lower rate to see a safer estimate.
NSC interest is taxable at your slab rate in the year it accrues, even though you receive nothing until year 5 — the post office can give you a certificate of each year's interest for your return. And do not plan on encashing early: premature encashment is generally not allowed.
Your questions, answered
The National Savings Certificate (VIII Issue) is a 5-year government savings certificate sold at post offices. You deposit a lump sum — at least ₹1,000, in multiples of ₹100, with no maximum — and the certificate earns the notified rate, compounded annually. You receive nothing along the way: the interest is added each year and paid with your deposit at maturity, 5 years after you buy. You can pledge the certificate to a bank as security for a loan.
7.7% a year, compounded annually and paid at maturity, for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (the third quarter of FY 2026-27). The Ministry of Finance kept small-savings rates unchanged in its office memorandum of 30 September 2026, and NSC has paid 7.7% since 1 April 2023. The rate is reviewed every quarter, so the next review is due around 31 December 2026 — and the rate on the day you buy is fixed for your certificate for all 5 years.
Maturity = deposit × (1 + rate ÷ 100)^5. At 7.7%, ₹1,00,000 × 1.077^5 = ₹1,44,903.38, which rounds to ₹1,44,903. Each year's interest is worked out on the opening balance and rounded to the nearest rupee — ₹7,700 in year 1, ₹8,293 in year 2, ₹8,931 in year 3, ₹9,619 in year 4 and ₹10,360 in year 5 — and the five years of interest add to ₹44,903.
₹1,44,903 at 7.7% — your deposit plus ₹44,903 of interest. The scheme fixes ₹1,449.03 for every ₹1,000, so ₹1,000 becomes ₹1,449, ₹10,000 becomes ₹14,490 and ₹50,000 becomes ₹72,452. At 8% instead of 7.7%, ₹1,00,000 would mature at ₹1,46,933 — ₹2,030 more.
₹1,000, in multiples of ₹100, with no maximum and any number of certificates. An adult, a guardian for a minor or a person of unsound mind, a minor aged 10 or over, or up to three adults jointly can buy. Only ₹1.5 lakh a year can count for the 80C deduction under the old regime, and that limit is shared with EPF, PPF, life insurance premiums and the rest.
Yes, at your slab rate, in the year it accrues, in both tax regimes — even though the cash arrives only at maturity. Under the old regime, the deposit and the interest of years 1 to 4 can count towards the ₹1.5 lakh limit, which can offset the tax on that interest: on ₹1,00,000 that is the ₹1,00,000 deposit plus ₹34,543 of reinvested interest, ₹1,34,543 claimed over the years, if you have room. The fifth year's ₹10,360 cannot count. The new regime gives no such deduction. The Income-tax Act, 2025, in force from 1 April 2026, renumbered the Act's provisions — the old-regime deduction this page calls Section 80C is carried in Schedule XV of the new Act, and the ₹1.5 lakh limit is unchanged.
Only in limited cases: the death of a holder, forfeiture by a pledgee who is a gazetted officer, or a court order. You cannot close it early just because you need the money. What you then receive depends on how long you held it — under 1 year you get the deposit back with no interest, and from 3 years the payout rises from ₹1,21,477 to ₹1,33,887 on ₹1,00,000 as you approach 5 years.
Yes — for the certificate you already hold. The rate on the day you buy applies for all 5 years, whatever happens to the rate for new certificates. A quarterly review changes the rate only for certificates bought after it takes effect, so a certificate bought after a cut earns the lower rate, and one bought before a rise keeps the higher one.
No. Every calculation runs entirely on this page — nothing is sent to a server, nothing is stored, and reloading the page clears your recent checks.
This page uses the standard NSC-calculator method: each year the opening balance earns one year of interest at the rate you enter, rounded to the nearest rupee, and the interest is added to the balance. The maturity value is the deposit × (1 + rate ÷ 100)^5, rounded to the nearest rupee, and the fifth year's interest is the difference between that maturity value and the year-5 opening balance, so the table always ends exactly on the formula figure. The rate is user-entered and treated as a steady assumption — never as a live quote or a promise for a certificate bought later.
Figures checked 12 November 2026: the 7.7% rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) Office Memorandum F.No.1/4/2019-NS, dated 30 September 2026, keeping small savings rates unchanged for the third quarter of FY 2026-27, as carried by the Department of Posts in SB Order 12/2026 of the same date — see the National Savings Institute. The deposit limits, the 5-year tenure and the premature-encashment rule are on India Post's savings schemes page. The tax treatment — the deposit and the first four years' interest counting towards the old-regime ₹1.5 lakh limit, the interest taxable as it accrues — is in the Income-tax Act; the Income-tax Act, 2025, in force from 1 April 2026, renumbered the Act's provisions, and the old-regime deduction this page calls Section 80C is carried in Schedule XV of the new Act — see the Income Tax Department. The worked examples reproduce the ranking NSC calculators' published figures: ₹1,00,000 at 7.7% gives ₹1,44,903 on credocalc.com, and the same figure is published by the other ranking calculators. One figure is deliberately NOT used: fincado.com's worked example gives ₹1,45,060 for ₹1,00,000, from a growth factor of 1.4506 — but (1.077)^5 is 1.4490338, so the correct maturity is ₹1,44,903, and fincado's own calculator widget shows ₹1,44,903. One honest limit: some calculators carry balances at full precision, so their year-4 closing rounds to ₹1,34,544 and their year-5 interest to ₹10,359.85; this page rounds each year's interest to the nearest rupee, as the scheme's published year-by-year table does, so every row adds up in whole rupees and the maturity is still ₹1,44,903. For a tax-free comparison, use the PPF calculator; for a monthly deposit without a maturity lock-in, the RD calculator; for a daughter's future, the SSY calculator; for the tax on your deposits, the income-tax calculator; for a market-linked retirement corpus, the NPS calculator.
Try different numbers — or run the same check with the related tools for your other plans.
