RAS question
When were the unchanged interest rates for Jan-Mar 2026 quarter announced?
Correct answer: (C) December 31, 2025.
The Ministry of Finance announced on December 31, 2025 that small savings scheme interest rates would remain unchanged for the January-March 2026 quarter.
Explanation
The answer is December 31, 2025. The Ministry of Finance announced the small savings scheme interest rates for the January-March 2026 quarter on that date. The official Department of Economic Affairs page supports this timing: it is titled as the revision of interest rates for Small Savings Scheme for Q4 of FY 2025-26 and carries the publication time stamp "Wed, 12/31/2025 - 12:00". Since Q4 of FY 2025-26 corresponds to the January-March 2026 quarter in the question, the announcement date to remember is December 31, 2025, not an earlier December date or the first day of the quarter.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) December 15, 2025 is too early; the verified DEA page for the Q4 FY 2025-26 small savings interest-rate revision is dated December 31, 2025.
- (B) December 25, 2025 does not match the official DEA timestamp for this announcement, which is December 31, 2025.
- (D) January 1, 2026 is the next day and not the announcement date shown on the official DEA page.
Concept
This tests Indian Economy current affairs around government-administered small savings schemes and official rate notifications. RAS often asks such dates because welfare-linked savings instruments sit at the intersection of fiscal policy, household savings, and current government decisions.