What is the Kisan Vikas Patra?
Kisan Vikas Patra is a post office certificate that doubles your investment over a fixed period determined by the prevailing rate — 115 months (9 years 7 months) at the 7.5% rate notified for the July–September 2026 quarter.
Unlike NSC, KVP offers no 80C deduction and the interest is fully taxable. Its appeal is simplicity, sovereign backing, and the ability to pledge it for loans.
Formula & worked example
The doubling period comes from the rule of compounding:
Worked example: at 7.5%, ln(2)/ln(1.075) = 9.58 years, or 9 years and 7 months. A ₹2,00,000 investment becomes ₹4,00,000 at maturity — ₹2 lakh of taxable interest.
How to use this kisan vikas patra calculator
- Enter the investment amount (minimum ₹1,000, no upper limit).
- The rate is revised quarterly; the doubling period changes with it.
- The maturity value is always exactly double the investment.
- Read the doubling period to compare against an FD of similar tenure.
Smart tips
- KVP has no 80C benefit — if tax saving matters, NSC or a tax-saving FD is the better choice.
- Premature encashment is allowed after 2 years 6 months, at reduced returns.
- KVP can be pledged as security for a loan, which term deposits at some banks cannot.
- Interest is taxable annually on an accrual basis, though no TDS is deducted.
- For long horizons, PPF beats KVP on both rate and tax treatment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does KVP take to double money?
115 months — 9 years 7 months — at the 7.5% rate notified for the July–September 2026 quarter. Both the rate and the doubling period are announced with each quarterly revision, and are locked in for you at the date of purchase.
Is KVP interest tax-free?
No. KVP interest is fully taxable at your slab rate and there is no 80C deduction on the investment.
Can I withdraw KVP early?
Yes, after a lock-in of 2 years and 6 months, though you receive a reduced return.
Is KVP better than a fixed deposit?
Rates are comparable. KVP has sovereign backing and can be pledged; FDs are more liquid and available for shorter tenures.
Want the theory behind the numbers? Read our small savings guides on the Money Blog.
Written by Gurjeet Singh, Sharpen Solutions. Last reviewed 15 Oct 2026. Sources: Department of Posts — small-savings interest rates: PPF 7.1%, NSC 7.7%, KVP 7.5%, SSA and SCSS 8.2%, MIS 7.4% (page reviewed 12 Aug 2026). How we check these numbers.