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A Sukanya Samriddhi account can be opened by a parent or legal guardian for a girl child who has not yet turned 10, at any post office or authorised bank, with a first deposit of just 250 rupees. You need the girl's birth certificate, the guardian's Aadhaar and PAN (or Form 60), photos and the opening form, and the account is usually opened the same day.
This page is about getting the account started and running it day to day: who qualifies, which papers to carry, the counter steps, the yearly deposit rules, paying online and checking the balance. For the rate, see Sukanya Samriddhi interest rate; for the scheme overall, see Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana.
At a glance
Opened by
Natural or legal guardian of the girlGirl's age
Below 10 years on the day of openingAccounts
One per girl, up to two girls per family (more for twins or triplets)First deposit
250 rupees, then multiples of 50Yearly deposit
250 rupees to 1.5 lakh rupees, for 15 yearsWhere
Any post office or authorised bank branchForm
Form 1 under the scheme rules
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana age limit and eligibility
- The girl must be below 10 years of age on the day the account is opened. There is no minimum age; it can be opened soon after birth once the birth certificate is issued.
- Only one guardian opens the account, and each girl can hold just a single account anywhere in India.
- A family can open accounts for at most two girls. A third account is allowed only if twins or triplets are born in the first or second birth, backed by an affidavit and birth certificates. This exception does not apply to the second birth if the first birth already gave two or more surviving girls.
The guardian should be the parent or the legal guardian. Accounts opened by grandparents who are not legal guardians have been the subject of Ministry of Finance instructions to move guardianship to a parent; if your family has such an account, ask the post office what to do.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana documents required
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Girl's birth certificate | Proof of age, issued by the municipal body or birth registrar |
| Guardian's Aadhaar | Identity and KYC |
| Guardian's PAN, or Form 60 | Required for KYC |
| Address proof, if Aadhaar address is different | Current address of the guardian |
| Two passport size photos of the guardian | For the form and records |
| Affidavit with birth certificates | Only for a third account in case of twins or triplets |
Carry the originals for checking and self attested copies to leave with the office.
Step by step at the post office counter
- Go to any post office with a savings counter, or a branch of a bank authorised for small savings.
- Ask for the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana form, which is Form 1 under the scheme. It is also kept on the India Post website in the forms section.
- Fill in the girl's name and date of birth, the birth certificate number, the guardian's name, Aadhaar, PAN, address and mobile number.
- Paste the guardian's photo, sign, and fill the nomination part.
- Hand over the form with copies of the documents and the starting deposit, 250 rupees at minimum.
- Collect the passbook. Check the girl's name, date of birth and account number while still at the counter.
When filling the form, write the girl's name exactly as on the birth certificate. A spelling mismatch can cause trouble later at withdrawal time.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana deposit rules
- At least 250 rupees must go in during every financial year, and not more than 1.5 lakh rupees.
- Deposits after the first are in multiples of 50 rupees, any number of times in the year. Monthly payments are not compulsory.
- Deposits are accepted for 15 years from the date of opening. After that the account keeps earning interest until it matures at 21 years.
- Missed the 250 rupees in some year? The account is in default. Pay 250 for each missed year plus a 50 rupees penalty per year, any time within the 15 year window, to revive it.
- An amount above 1.5 lakh in a year earns no interest and is returned.
The guardian handles the account until the girl's 18th birthday. After that, she operates it herself by submitting her own KYC documents.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana online payment and online opening
Once an account exists, deposits can be made online through India Post Payments Bank linked to the post office account, through post office internet or mobile banking, or by an auto debit order on a post office savings account. If the account is with a bank, its net banking usually lets you pay into it.
Opening is mostly done at the counter. Some banks let their own customers start one through net banking, but the birth certificate may still have to be shown at the branch. Do not pay any website that claims to open the account for a fee; only the post office or your bank can open it.
How to check Sukanya Samriddhi account balance
- Passbook: get it updated at the counter after every deposit.
- ePassbook: the India Post ePassbook service at posbseva.indiapost.gov.in shows the balance after verifying the mobile number registered with the account.
- Internet banking: post office internet banking, or your bank's net banking for a bank account.
This guide found no official SMS code for checking the balance of this account. Ask your post office before relying on any SMS method you see shared online.
Moving the account or opening it in a new town
If the family moves, the account can be transferred from one post office to another, or moved between India Post and a bank, without closing it. Take the passbook and a written request to the office that holds the account, or ask at the new office. The balance and the original opening date stay the same, so the 15 and 21 year timelines do not reset. See the post office schemes page for other accounts you can hold at the same office.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum age for a Sukanya Samriddhi account?
There is no minimum age. The account can be opened any time after birth, as long as the girl is below 10 on the opening day.
What is the minimum amount for Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana?
250 rupees to open and at least 250 rupees in each financial year. Extra deposits go in multiples of 50 rupees.
Can I apply online for Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana?
Online payment into an existing account is easy. Full online opening is offered only by some banks to their own customers; most families open it at the post office counter.
Where do I get the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana application form?
At any post office or authorised bank. The form is Form 1 under the scheme, and India Post also keeps it in the forms section of its website.
Can grandparents open a Sukanya Samriddhi account?
The scheme expects the account to be opened by a natural or legal guardian. If a grandparent who is not the legal guardian opened one, the post office can tell you how guardianship is moved to a parent.
Is there a Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana official website to apply online?
There is no separate website for applying. Only post offices and authorised bank branches open it, and India Post's site at indiapost.gov.in has the rules and forms.
Can a girl living abroad open this account?
The scheme is meant for resident Indian girls. If your family's residency status is changing, ask the post office before opening or continuing the account.
Official sources
- India Post: Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme notificationwww.indiapost.gov.in
- India Post: savings schemeswww.indiapost.gov.in
- India Post ePassbookposbseva.indiapost.gov.in
Rules, amounts and portals can change. Check the official source before you apply or deposit.