Mutual funds pool money from investors in varying amounts, which is then managed by professional fund managers and invested in a diversified portfolio of securities, including stocks, bonds, and short-term debt instruments. The combined holdings of a mutual fund constitute its portfolio, providing investors the flexibility to purchase small units of the fund rather than investing large sums directly in individual securities. A wide array of mutual fund schemes is available in the market, allowing investors to allocate their money according to their risk-return preferences. Before investing, investors generally seek information regarding the risk and return characteristics of individual mutual fund schemes and whether their performance aligns with overall market benchmarks. Over the years, the Indian mutual fund industry has witnessed significant growth in both the quantity and quality of products and services offered. For the purpose of this study, the CRISIL 10-Year Gilt Index has been employed as a benchmark to evaluate mutual fund performance. The investment horizon is categorized into short-term, medium-term, and long-term periods to assess returns across different time frames. The study focuses on evaluating the performance of debt mutual fund schemes in India, with particular reference to public and private sector funds. A total of 24 schemes were selected from six asset management companies. The analysis utilizes several financial performance measures, including Rate of Return, Standard Deviation, Beta, Sharpe Ratio, Jensen's Alpha, and Treynor Ratio. Data were collected from authorized websites and official fund factsheets. The comparative analysis reveals that, in the long run, private mutual fund schemes tend to deliver higher benefits to investors, whereas public mutual fund schemes perform better in the medium term. In the short term, both public and private mutual funds provide comparable advantages to investors seeking returns from debt schemes.