Sukanya Samriddhi vs PPF for a girl child

Who the account is for

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is available for a girl child under the scheme's age rules, operated by a guardian, with contribution ceilings and deposit/withdrawal windows tied to her education and marriage milestones. PPF can be opened for yourself (and there are rules around minor accounts) with a 15-year core tenure and its own loan/withdrawal schedule. If you do not have an eligible girl child, SSY is not the parallel product—PPF or other options apply.

Both are small-savings style products with notified rates and EEE-style tax treatment when used as intended. Rates can reset; the calculator pages state the rate assumption dated on the tool.

Horizon and liquidity differ

SSY is built around a long childhood-to-majority arc; partial withdrawals for education follow scheme conditions. PPF's 15-year clock and partial withdrawal rules are different. If the goal is specifically her college fees, SSY's design may fit better. If the surplus is for the parent's retirement or a mixed family goal, PPF (or a split) may be clearer.

One 80C pot if you are on the old regime

Contributions to SSY and PPF both compete for the same section 80C ceiling in the old regime for Tax Year 2026-27. Filling both without watching the ₹1.5 lakh cap does not create two deductions. In the new regime the deduction goes away, but the tax-free compounding story can remain. Run the same annual contribution through the SSY and PPF calculators and compare maturity shapes—not brochure adjectives.