Social Sector Schemes and Financial Inclusion

1.Welfare State and Social Protection

• Welfare State and the Rationale for Social ProtectionImportance 3/5
  What life risks does a welfare state cover (illness, old age, disability, unemployment, maternity, death of the earning member)? Be able to explain why private insurance markets fail to cover the poor against these risks, and how that justifies State action. Know what adverse selection and moral hazard mean.
• Social Insurance versus Social AssistanceImportance 3/5UPSC 2011
  How do social insurance and social assistance differ in the way they are financed and in who is eligible? Know one Indian example of each. Understand the layered design of a social protection system (tax-financed floor, contributory insurance, voluntary savings) and what each layer does.
• Protective and Promotional Social ProtectionImportance 2/5
  Know the difference between protective and promotional social protection. Be able to place examples under each: pensions, food transfers, skilling and SHG credit.
• Life-Cycle Approach to Social ProtectionImportance 2/5
  Learn the stages that the life-cycle approach uses (childhood, working age, old age). Be able to match at least one scheme to each stage.
• Targeting versus Universality: Inclusion and Exclusion ErrorsImportance 4/5
  Distinguish an inclusion error from an exclusion error, and know which one hurts the poor more. Why is perfect targeting impossible? Understand the causes (data gaps, static lists, missing documents, authentication failure) and the trade-off between cost and coverage when choosing targeted over universal provision.
• Evolution of Wage-Employment and Self-Employment ProgrammesImportance 5/5UPSC 6 Years
  Remember the two lines of rural anti-poverty programmes with their years. Self-employment: IRDP, SGSY and NRLM. Wage employment: NREP, RLEGP, JRY, JGSY, EAS, SGRY, NFFWP, MGNREGA and the VB-G RAM G Act. Understand what changed when schemes gave way to a legal guarantee.
• Social Sector Expenditure and the Spending–Outcomes GapImportance 2/5
  Which sectors count as social sector spending? Understand why a bigger budget does not always bring better outcomes, and what weakens the link (leakage, local capacity, targeting, quality, the mix of spending). Which annual document reports this spending?
• Social Protection Coverage in IndiaImportance 2/5
  Understand what "social protection coverage" measures, who estimates it for India, and why coverage differs between formal and informal workers. Know the latest estimate and that it changes, so an old figure should not be relied on.
• Delivery Architecture: Ministries, Local Bodies and Frontline WorkersImportance 3/5UPSC 2012
  Understand how the Centre and the States divide funding, design and delivery of welfare schemes. Know what Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies and frontline workers (ASHA, ANM, Anganwadi worker, Business Correspondent) do, and how the involvement of many ministries and weak local capacity affect results.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Audit of Welfare SchemesImportance 2/5
  How does monitoring differ from evaluation? Know the role of the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) and the body it is attached to. Know CAG audits, social audits and DISHA committees as checks on schemes. Why do administrative data and survey data often disagree?
• Welfare Schemes versus FreebiesImportance 2/5
  Is a freebie different from welfare? Understand merit goods, targeting and long-term returns as the tests. Understand how large untargeted transfers can crowd out capital spending and strain State finances.

2.Rural Employment Guarantee

• MGNREGA, 2005: Core Design and the Legal Right to WorkImportance 5/5UPSC 2006, 2011
  What is MGNREGA and why is it called a demand-driven legal right? Remember the yearly guarantee for each rural household and who may ask for work. Know the main entitlements: work within a set time or an unemployment allowance, worksite facilities, a share for women, and the Gram Sabha's role with social audit. Know that a 2025 law has replaced it.
• Funding, Wages and Implementation Problems Under MGNREGAImportance 2/5
  Who paid for wages and for materials under MGNREGA, and how were wage rates set? Understand why wage payments were delayed and why demand for work was often rationed even though work was a legal right.
• Impact and Criticism of MGNREGAImportance 2/5
  Be able to explain the main effects claimed for MGNREGA (rural wages, distress migration, women's work, assets, support during COVID) and the main criticisms (asset quality, leakage, delays, the effect on farm labour supply).
• VB-G RAM G Act, 2025: Enactment, Commencement and the Work GuaranteeImportance 5/5UPSC 2006, 2011
  Remember the full name of the 2025 Act that replaced MGNREGA and the date from which it applies. How many days of work does it guarantee, and to which households? Understand how the change affects existing job cards and ongoing works.
• Funding Pattern and Normative Allocation Under VB-G RAM GImportance 4/5
  How do the Centre and the States share the cost under VB-G RAM G? Understand what normative allocation means and who bears spending above it. Is it a Central Sector Scheme or a Centrally Sponsored Scheme?
• Four Priority Thematic Areas, Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans and VB-NRISImportance 4/5
  Remember the four priority areas of work under VB-G RAM G. Understand how Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans are prepared by Gram Panchayats through Gram Sabhas and linked to PM Gati Shakti, and how all works are recorded in the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack (VB-NRIS).
• Agricultural-Season Pause, Wage Payment and Unemployment Allowance Under VB-G RAM GImportance 3/5
  Can a State pause work in busy farm seasons? Know for how long and how it is notified, and whether the yearly guarantee is reduced. Remember the rules on the timing of wage payment, the compensation for delay, and when an unemployment allowance is due.
• Worksite Facilities, Technology and Accountability Under VB-G RAM GImportance 3/5
  Which facilities must every worksite give? Understand how biometric and face-based attendance (NMMS), geo-tagging and social audit work, and why digital attendance raises worries about exclusion. What do the Central and State Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Councils do?
• MGNREGA versus VB-G RAM G: Rights-Based or Normative Guarantee?Importance 4/5
  How does the VB-G RAM G Act differ from MGNREGA in nature, days of work, funding and scope? Be able to explain the critics' case (a weaker right, a higher burden on States, federalism, digital exclusion) and the government's case (assets, convergence, more days).

3.Social Security and Pensions

• EPFO: Statutory Basis and the Schemes It RunsImportance 3/5
  Under which Act and ministry was the EPFO set up? Remember the schemes it runs: EPF, EPS and the linked insurance scheme (EDLI). Which newer law now replaces the 1952 Act and its schemes? Note that new schemes under that law are replacing the old ones.
• EPF Scheme: Coverage, Wage Ceiling and ContributionsImportance 3/5
  Know which establishments must register with the EPFO and which employees must contribute. Remember the current wage ceiling for compulsory membership (it was revised in 2026, so older figures are outdated), what happens above it, and the contribution rate of the employee and the employer.
• Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995: Contribution Split and Pensionable SalaryImportance 3/5
  How is the employer's contribution split between EPF and EPS? Know the Government of India's share and whether the employee pays into EPS. Remember the current ceiling on pensionable salary, which may also have been revised recently, and the age at which the pension starts.
• Supreme Court Judgment on the Employees' Pension Scheme (November 2022)Importance 2/5
  Understand the Supreme Court's November 2022 judgment on the 2014 changes to the pension scheme. What is the position of members who joined on or after 1 September 2014 with basic pay above the ceiling, and what did the Court say on the higher-pension option for existing members?
• EPF Interest Rate and Withdrawal RulesImportance 2/5
  Who decides the EPF interest rate each year, and whose agreement is needed? Know the current rate and what it depends on. Understand the broad rules on when members can withdraw.
• Defined Benefit versus Defined Contribution PensionsImportance 3/5
  Distinguish a defined-benefit pension from a defined-contribution pension by who bears the investment and longevity risk. Understand why India changed the type of pension for new Central Government recruits in 2004, and which type each of OPS and NPS is.
• NPS: Nature, Regulator and ArchitectureImportance 4/5
  What is NPS, and which authority regulates it? Know who owns its assets, from when it applied to Central Government employees, and which service was left out. Understand the roles of Central Recordkeeping Agencies, pension funds and Points of Presence.
• Who Can Join NPSImportance 3/5UPSC 2017
  Learn who can join NPS: Central and State Government employees, corporates, other citizens and NRIs. What is the age range for citizens? Older sources may differ from the current rule. Remember that accounts are individual, not joint, and know what NPS Vatsalya is meant for.
• Contributions, Investment Choice and Exit Under NPSImportance 3/5
  Know the contribution rates of Central Government employees and of the Centre under NPS. Understand how subscribers choose fund managers and the mix of equity and debt. After the December 2025 change, how does the annuity and lump-sum split at exit differ for government and non-government subscribers?
• NPS versus the Old Pension Scheme and the Return to OPSImportance 4/5
  How does NPS differ from the Old Pension Scheme in contribution, benefit formula, risk and cost to the government? Understand why OPS came to be seen as unsustainable and the fiscal risk of going back to it. Which States never joined NPS or have returned to OPS? This position keeps changing.
• Unified Pension SchemeImportance 4/5
  Learn what the Unified Pension Scheme is, who can opt for it and from when. Remember its assured payout (share of pay, years of service, minimum pension, family pension). How does it differ from NPS and OPS? Understand the option window and the one-time switch back to NPS.
• Employees' State Insurance CorporationImportance 3/5UPSC 2012
  Which Act set up ESIC, and which newer law now covers it? What risks does ESIC cover (sickness, maternity, disablement, death of the earning member)? Remember who pays the contributions. How do ESIC and the EPFO differ in purpose?
• Atal Pension YojanaImportance 4/5UPSC 2016, 2024
  Who can join the Atal Pension Yojana (age band, bank account)? Are income-tax payers eligible? Remember the guaranteed pension slabs from age 60, how the contribution depends on entry age and slab, and which body administers the scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhanImportance 3/5UPSC 2024
  Know the eligibility, income limit and pension of Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan for unorganised workers. How does it differ from the Atal Pension Yojana in who contributes and how the pension is fixed?
• National Social Assistance ProgrammeImportance 4/5UPSC 2002, 2008
  Is NSAP social insurance or social assistance? Remember its component schemes and the ministry that runs it. Why is the adequacy of its benefits often questioned?

4.Health Protection Schemes

• Health Shocks, Out-of-Pocket Expenditure and Public Health SpendingImportance 3/5UPSC 2023
  Why do health shocks push households into poverty? Understand out-of-pocket expenditure and catastrophic expenditure, and why hospital insurance alone does not bring them down. Remember the public health spending target of the National Health Policy 2017, and the balance between preventive and curative care.
• Ayushman Bharat and Its ComponentsImportance 4/5UPSC 2009
  Learn what Ayushman Bharat brings together. Know its components, which have grown since the 2018 launch. Understand how it links financial protection with delivery of services in a continuum of care.
• Ayushman Arogya MandirsImportance 3/5
  What do Ayushman Arogya Mandirs provide, and what were they called earlier? Understand comprehensive primary care (screening for non-communicable diseases, expanded service packages, teleconsultation) and why strong primary care lowers costs for the whole health system.
• AB PM-JAY: Eligibility, Cover and ServicesImportance 5/5
  Who is eligible for AB PM-JAY, and how are families identified? Remember the cover per family per year, the level of care covered, cashless and portable access, and the earlier scheme it replaced. Is outpatient care covered? Know how the eligible group has been widened since 2018.
• Extension of PM-JAY to Senior Citizens (Ayushman Vay Vandana)Importance 4/5
  Remember when Ayushman Vay Vandana began and which age group it covers. Understand why age and not income decides eligibility, and how seniors in families already covered are treated.
• Implementation of PM-JAY: NHA, Models, Packages and PortabilityImportance 2/5
  Which body implements PM-JAY, and how do States run it (trust, insurance or mixed models)? Understand how hospitals are paid through package rates and what national portability means. Know its main limits: uneven empanelment of private hospitals (package rates, regional spread), delayed claims and fraud.
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and ABHAImportance 2/5
  Understand what the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission builds (health ID, health records, registries) and how consent-based records help continuity of care and claims. Is the ABHA health ID the same as the Ayushman card of PM-JAY?
• PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure MissionImportance 2/5
  Remember the aim, launch and period of the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (its first period ended in March 2026), and that it adds to the National Health Mission. Understand its centrally sponsored part (for example, district critical care blocks) and its central sector part (for example, national-level institutions).
• National Health Mission and ASHA WorkersImportance 4/5UPSC 2023
  Understand the National Health Mission and its two sub-missions, rural and urban. Who are ASHA workers, and what do they do for women and communities? How does an ASHA differ from an ANM and an Anganwadi worker?
• Janani Suraksha YojanaImportance 4/5UPSC 2012, 2023
  Know the aim of the Janani Suraksha Yojana and how it works. Understand where it sits within the National Health Mission, how its rates differ between States, and how it differs from a maternity benefit scheme such as PMMVY.
• Mission IndradhanushImportance 3/5
  Whom does Mission Indradhanush target, and when did it begin? Know its intensified versions and the digital registry U-WIN, and how the mission links to the Universal Immunisation Programme.
• Integrated Child Development ServicesImportance 2/5
  Which services does ICDS give, and to whom? Understand the Anganwadi as the point of delivery, and the mission under which ICDS now sits.

5.Financial Inclusion Schemes

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana: Objectives and FeaturesImportance 4/5UPSC 2015
  Be clear about the aim of PMJDY. Remember the launch year and the change in focus in 2018. Know the benefits bundled with the account (balance requirement, card, accident cover, overdraft and its condition), and whether there is an upper age limit.
• PMJDY Outcomes: Access, Usage and Dormant AccountsImportance 3/5
  Understand the gap between having an account and using it. Why do dormant and zero-balance accounts persist, and why has policy moved towards usage, credit and insurance?
• Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima YojanaImportance 3/5
  Remember who can join PMJJBY, the cover it gives and for what cause of death, how the premium is paid, and the renewal period. How does it differ from PMSBY?
• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima YojanaImportance 3/5
  Know what PMSBY covers (death, full and partial disability), the age band and how the premium is paid. Does it cover death from any cause, or only from accidents?
• Auto-Debit Enrolment and Gaps in the Jan Suraksha SchemesImportance 2/5
  How did auto-debit from bank accounts let the Jan Suraksha schemes enrol people at scale? Be able to explain its gaps, such as lapses, low awareness, claim rejection and low renewal.
• Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana: Loan Categories and LendersImportance 4/5UPSC 2016
  Which kinds of enterprise are PMMY loans meant for? Remember the loan categories, their limits and the condition for the newest category. Does MUDRA Ltd lend directly or through other institutions? Understand collateral-free lending and whether activities allied to agriculture are covered.
• Stand-Up IndiaImportance 3/5UPSC 2016
  Which groups does Stand-Up India target, and what is the loan range? Understand the design of one SC or ST borrower and one woman borrower per bank branch, and what the greenfield condition means. What is the scheme's current status? Also know of the newer Budget 2025-26 scheme for first-time women, SC and ST entrepreneurs.
• Prime Minister's Employment Generation ProgrammeImportance 2/5
  Understand PMEGP as a credit-linked subsidy for new micro enterprises. Which body is its nodal agency, and which earlier schemes did it merge? How does it differ from collateral-free MUDRA credit?
• DAY-NRLM, Self-Help Groups and SHG–Bank LinkageImportance 4/5UPSC 2011, 2012, 2023
  Understand how DAY-NRLM uses self-help groups to build rural livelihoods. Remember when it began and the names Aajeevika and DAY-NRLM. How do peer monitoring and joint liability make collateral-free SHG credit work? Know NABARD's SHG-Bank Linkage Programme and interest subvention.
• Business Correspondent ModelImportance 3/5UPSC 2014
  Who is a Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra), and what banking services does the BC give at the last mile? Be able to explain why the model is fragile.
• RBI's Financial Inclusion IndexImportance 3/5UPSC 2026
  Who publishes the Financial Inclusion Index, and since when? Does it have a base year? Remember its three parameters, which one carries the most weight, and the sectors it combines. Know the latest value and trend, as the figure changes every year. Also, which body approved the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2025-30, and what are its five objectives?

6.Direct Benefit Transfer and JAM

• Direct Benefit Transfer: Meaning, Launch and TypesImportance 4/5UPSC 2014
  When did Direct Benefit Transfer begin, and what is it? Know where the DBT Mission sits. Distinguish cash transfers from in-kind transfers, and understand which inefficiencies DBT replaces.
• JAM TrinityImportance 4/5
  Know what J, A and M stand for, and which Economic Survey brought the idea into use. Understand what each part does and how together they allow direct, low-leakage transfers. Does every DBT need all three?
• DBT Payment Architecture: PFMS, Aadhaar Payment Bridge and SeedingImportance 3/5
  How does money travel from release of funds to the beneficiary? Know the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System, and who runs each. Understand Aadhaar seeding and the NPCI mapper, and how Business Correspondents and AePS serve the last mile.
• Leakage Reduction and Claimed Savings from DBTImportance 3/5
  Which kinds of leakage is DBT meant to reduce? Understand how removing duplicate and ghost beneficiaries saves money, and why the claimed savings are disputed (how they are estimated, exclusion counted as saving).
• Exclusion Risks in DBT and Aadhaar AuthenticationImportance 3/5
  Who is most likely to be left out of DBT, and what failures cause it (seeding errors, biometric failure, connectivity, inactive accounts)? Understand the safeguard against denying welfare when Aadhaar authentication fails (Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act and the 2018 Puttaswamy judgment).
• Beneficiary Databases and the Case for a Dynamic Social RegistryImportance 2/5
  Which databases identify beneficiaries (SECC 2011, ration cards, State registries)? Why do static lists cause errors, and what would a dynamic social registry change in a shock such as COVID? Understand how transfers into women's accounts affect control over money.

7.Housing and Urban Inclusion

• Indira Awaas Yojana and Its Restructuring Into PMAY-GImportance 2/5
  When did Indira Awaas Yojana begin, from which programme was it carved out, and when did it become an independent scheme? When did it become PMAY-G? Understand why housing counts as an asset for poverty reduction and not just relief.
• Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – GraminImportance 4/5
  Be clear about the aim of PMAY-G. Understand how beneficiaries are selected (SECC 2011, Awaas+, Gram Sabha verification) and how it works together with other schemes (toilets, cooking gas, electricity, labour days under the rural employment law). Know its current phase and end date.
• Urban Poverty, Slums and the Urban Housing ShortageImportance 2/5
  How does urban poverty differ from rural poverty (cash economy, informality, housing and services)? Why do slums form, and where is the housing shortage concentrated? Why is urban poverty harder to target?
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (2015) and Its VerticalsImportance 2/5
  Remember the verticals of PMAY-Urban (2015), what happened to its credit-linked subsidy part, and how the mission was extended. Know which parts are centrally sponsored and which is a central sector scheme.
• PMAY-Urban 2.0Importance 4/5
  Learn what PMAY-Urban 2.0 aims at and which income groups are eligible. Remember the target number of houses, the approval date, the condition of owning no pucca house, and the verticals with what is new in them. Understand how the interest subsidy lowers the borrowing cost.
• Affordable Rental Housing Complexes and the Model Tenancy ActImportance 2/5
  Why is formal rental housing in short supply? Understand how Affordable Rental Housing Complexes help migrants (public-private partnership, conversion of vacant government houses). Is the Model Tenancy Act binding on States?
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods MissionImportance 3/5
  Is DAY-NULM the urban counterpart of DAY-NRLM? Remember which scheme it replaced and when it began. Know its parts (SHGs, skills, shelters, support for vendors). It ran until 2024: what has been proposed to succeed it, and whom does the new mission target? Why does urban policy rely on self-employment and not on a central wage guarantee?
• PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)Importance 3/5
  Who is PM SVANidhi meant for, and which ministry runs it? Understand its loan design (rising loan stages for prompt repayment) and digital incentives. Study the current version, as the scheme has been restructured since launch.

1. 1.

   Consider the following statements about rural employment guarantee in India (as of October 2026):
   1. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 gave rural households a demand-driven legal right to work.
   2. The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 applies only in rural areas notified by the Centre, whereas MGNREGA applied universally.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
2. 2.

   Consider the following statements about the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025 (as of October 2026):
   1. It guarantees 125 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.
   2. Existing e-KYC-verified Job Cards cease to be valid on commencement, and every worker must register afresh.
   3. Wage rates for unskilled manual work under the Act are notified by the State Governments.
   4. It has been in force since 1 July 2026, the date from which MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed.
   How many of the statements given above are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
3. 3.

   With reference to the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 (as of May 2026), consider the following statements:
   1. Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans are prepared by Gram Panchayats and integrated with national spatial planning systems, including PM Gati Shakti.
   2. Works are grouped into only three priority thematic areas: water security, core rural infrastructure and livelihood-related infrastructure.
   3. All works are aggregated into the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack (VB-NRIS).
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
4. 4.

   Consider the following statements (as of May 2026):
   Statement-I: Under the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, the Centre meets the entire cost of unskilled wages.
   Statement-II: The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with shared responsibilities between the Centre and the States.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
5. 5.

   With reference to the National Pension System (NPS) in India, consider the following statements:
   1. It is administered and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
   2. The National Pension System Trust is the registered owner of all assets under NPS.
   3. It was introduced for Central Government employees with effect from 1 January 2004, except for the armed forces.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
6. 6.

   Consider the following statements comparing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the National Pension System (NPS) for government employees (as of December 2025):
   1. Under OPS, employees were not required to contribute anything to their pensions.
   2. Under NPS, subscribers can choose fund managers and decide the share of their money invested in equity and debt.
   3. The amended PFRDA Exit Regulations of December 2025 raised the entry and exit age limit under NPS to 85 years.
   4. OPS became unsustainable for governments because of a fall in life expectancy.
   How many of the statements given above are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
7. 7.

   Consider the following statements about the Atal Pension Yojana (as of October 2026):
   1. The entry age is 18 to 40 years, and a savings bank or post office savings bank account is mandatory for joining.
   2. A person who is or has been an income-tax payer remains eligible to open a new APY account.
   3. After the death of the subscriber, the spouse is entitled to half of the pension amount that the subscriber was receiving.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
8. 8.

   Which one of the following is NOT a component of Ayushman Bharat (as of December 2025)?

   1. AAyushman Arogya Mandir
   2. BAyushman Bharat PM-JAY
   3. CAyushman Bharat Digital Mission
   4. DJanani Suraksha Yojana
9. 9.

   Consider the following statements about Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY (as of December 2025):
   1. It provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
   2. States and Union Territories implementing it may expand the beneficiary base at their own cost for their own scheme.
   3. It is the first component of Ayushman Bharat.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
10. 10.

    Consider the following statements about the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (as of August 2026):
    1. There is no requirement to maintain any minimum balance in a PMJDY account.
    2. An account can be opened at a Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet as well as at a bank branch.
    3. The overdraft facility of up to Rs. 10,000 is available to every PMJDY account holder in a household.
    4. The premium for the inbuilt RuPay accident insurance cover is paid by the National Payments Corporation of India and not charged to the account holder.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. COnly three
    4. DAll four
11. 11.

    Consider the following pairs:

    Scheme	Objective
    1. Mission Indradhanush	Supplementary nutrition and pre-school education for children and mothers
    2. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin	Pucca houses with basic amenities for the rural poor
    3. PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)	Working capital loans to street vendors

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
12. 12.

    With reference to the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (as of April 2026), which one of the following statements is correct?

    1. AMUDRA Ltd lends directly to micro enterprises without involving banks or NBFCs
    2. BLoans are collateral-free only up to Rs. 10 lakh, with collateral compulsory above that
    3. CLoans are meant only for farm activities such as crop cultivation and irrigation
    4. DLoans are extended to borrowers through Member Lending Institutions such as banks, NBFCs and MFIs
13. 13.

    Consider the following pairs regarding the verticals of PMAY-Urban 2.0, as approved in August 2024:

    Vertical	Feature
    1. Interest Subsidy Scheme	4% interest subsidy on home loans up to Rs. 25 lakh, with a maximum subsidy of Rs. 1.80 lakh paid in five yearly instalments
    2. Affordable Housing in Partnership	Assistance to EWS beneficiaries for houses built in partnership with States/UTs, cities, public and private agencies
    3. Affordable Rental Housing	Rental housing for working women, industrial workers and urban migrants

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
14. 14.

    Match List I with List II regarding the Unified Pension Scheme for Central Government employees (as of October 2026):

    List I (UPS feature)	List II (Provision)
    A. Assured payout after 25 years of qualifying service	1. 50% of average basic pay of the last 12 months
    B. Minimum assured payout after 10 years of service	2. Rs. 10,000 a month
    C. Family payout to the legally wedded spouse	3. 60% of the admissible payout
    D. Employee's own contribution	4. 10%

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. AA-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
    2. BA-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
    3. CA-1, B-2, C-4, D-3
    4. DA-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
15. 15.

    The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2025-30, released on 1 December 2025, was approved by which one of the following?

    1. AUnion Cabinet
    2. BSub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council
    3. CCentral Board of the Reserve Bank of India
    4. DGoverning Council of NITI Aayog

1. 1.

   UPSC 2011

   Which of the following can aid in furthering the Government's objective of inclusive growth?
   1. Promoting Self-Help Groups
   2. Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
   3. Implementing the Right to Education Act
   Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

   1. A1 only
   2. B1 and 2 only
   3. C2 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
2. 2.

   UPSC 2026

   Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ?

   1. ACredit access, Insurance depth, and Pension coverage
   2. BBanking access, GDP contribution, and Financial literacy
   3. CAccess, Usage, and Quality
   4. DAccess, Affordability, and Transparency
3. 3.

   UPSC 2024

   With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana, consider the following statements :
   1. The entry age group for enrolment in the scheme is 21 to 40 years.
   2. Age specific contribution shall be made by the beneficiary.
   3. Each subscriber under the scheme shall receive a minimum pension of ₹ 3,000 per month after attaining the age of 60 years.
   4. Family pension is applicable to the spouse and unmarried daughters.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

   1. A1, 3 and 4
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C2 only
   4. D1, 2 and 4
4. 4.

   UPSC 2023

   Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana :
   1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
   2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
   3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
   4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.
   How many of the statements given above are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
5. 5.

   UPSC 2023

   Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy :
   1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
   2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of child-birth.
   3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
   4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
   How many of the statements given above are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
6. 6.

   UPSC 2023

   Consider the following statements :
   1. The Self-Help Group (SHG) programme was originally initiated by the State Bank of India by providing microcredit to the financially deprived.
   2. In an SHG, all members of a group take responsibility for a loan that an individual member takes.
   3. The Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Commercial Banks support SHGs.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
7. 7.

   UPSC 2023

   Consider the following statements :
   Statement–I : India’s public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care.
   Statement–II : Under India’s decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is the correct explanation for Statement–I
   2. BBoth Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I
   3. CStatement–I is correct but Statement–II is incorrect
   4. DStatement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct
8. 8.

   UPSC 2017

   Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS) ?

   1. AResident Indian citizens only
   2. BPersons of age from 21 to 55 only
   3. CAll State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments
   4. DAll Central Government employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April, 2004
9. 9.

   UPSC 2016

   With reference to 'Stand Up India Scheme', which of the following statements is/are correct?
   1. Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
   2. It provides for refinance through SIDBI.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below.

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
10. 10.

    UPSC 2016

    Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana is aimed at

    1. Abringing the small entrepreneurs into formal financial system
    2. Bproviding loans to poor farmers for cultivating particular crops
    3. Cproviding pensions to old and destitute persons
    4. Dfunding the voluntary organizations involved in the promotion of skill development and employment generation
11. 11.

    UPSC 2016

    Regarding 'Atal Pension Yojana', which of the following statements is/are correct?
    1. It is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme mainly targeted at unorganized sector workers.
    2. Only one member of a family can join the scheme.
    3. Same amount of pension is guaranteed for the spouse for life after subscriber's death.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
12. 12.

    UPSC 2015

    'Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana' has been launched for

    1. Aproviding housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates
    2. Bpromoting women's Self-Help Groups in backward areas
    3. Cpromoting financial inclusion in the country
    4. Dproviding financial help to the marginalized communities
13. 13.

    UPSC 2014

    What is/are the facility/facilities the beneficiaries can get from the services of Business Correspondent (Bank Saathi) in branchless areas?
    1. It enables the beneficiaries to draw their subsidies and social security benefits in their villages.
    2. It enables the beneficiaries in the rural areas to make deposits and withdrawals.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
14. 14.

    UPSC 2012

    How does the National Rural Livelihood Mission seek to improve livelihood options of rural poor?
    1. By setting up a large number of new manufacturing industries and agribusiness centres in rural areas
    2. By strengthening 'self-help groups' and providing skill development
    3. By supplying seeds, fertilizers, diesel pump-sets and micro-irrigation equipment free of cost to farmers
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
15. 15.

    UPSC 2012

    The endeavour of 'Janani Suraksha Yojana' Programme is
    1. to promote institutional deliveries
    2. to provide monetary assistance to the mother to meet the cost of delivery
    3. to provide for wage loss due to pregnancy and confinement
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 only
    3. C3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
16. 16.

    UPSC 2012

    Consider the following :
    1. Hotels and restaurants
    2. Motor transport undertakings
    3. Newspaper establishments
    4. Private medical institutions
    The employees of which of the above can have the 'Social Security' coverage under Employees' State Insurance Scheme?

    1. A1, 2 and 3 only
    2. B4 only
    3. C1, 3 and 4 only
    4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
17. 17.

    UPSC 2012

    How do District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) help in the reduction of rural poverty in India?
    1. DRDAs act as Panchayati Raj Institutions in certain specified backward regions of the country.
    2. DRDAs undertake area-specific scientific study of the causes of poverty and malnutrition and prepare detailed remedial measures.
    3. DRDAs secure inter-sectoral and inter-departmental coordination and cooperation for effective implementation of anti-poverty programmes.
    4. DRDAs watch over and ensure effective utilization of the funds intended for anti-poverty programmes.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1, 2 and 3 only
    2. B3 and 4 only
    3. C4 only
    4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
18. 18.

    UPSC 2011

    With reference to "Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana", consider the following statements:
    1. The member insured under the scheme must be the head of the family or an earning member of the family in a rural landless household.
    2. The member insured must be in the age group of 30 to 65 years.
    3. There is a provision for free scholarship for up to two children of the insured who are studying between classes 9 and 12.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
19. 19.

    UPSC 2011

    Among the following who are eligible to benefit from the “Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act”?

    1. AAdult members of only the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households
    2. BAdult members of below poverty line (BPL) households
    3. CAdult members of households of all backward communities
    4. DAdult members of any household
20. 20.

    UPSC 2009

    With reference to the schemes launched by the Union Government, consider the following statements:
    1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.
    2. Ministry of Textiles launched the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
21. 21.

    UPSC 2008

    Consider the following statements with reference to Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS):
    1. All persons of 60 years or above belonging to the households below poverty line in rural areas are eligible.
    2. The Central Assistance under this Scheme is at the rate of Rs 300 per month per beneficiary. Under the Scheme, States have been urged to give matching amounts.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
22. 22.

    UPSC 2008

    What is the name of the scheme which provides training and skills to women in traditional and non-traditional trades?

    1. AKishori Shakti Yojna
    2. BRashtriya Mahila Kosh
    3. CSwayamsiddha
    4. DSwalamban
23. 23.

    UPSC 2006

    Consider the following statements in respect of welfare schemes launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India:
    1. Drinking water for rural areas is one of the components of the Bharat Nirman Plan.
    2. In the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 there is a provision that the statutory minimum wage applicable to agriculture workers in the State has to be paid to the workers under the Act.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
24. 24.

    UPSC 2006

    Consider the following statements in respect of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 :
    1. Under the provisions of the Act, 100 days of employment in a year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work has become a fundamental right.
    2. Under the provisions of the Act, women are to get priority to the extent that one-half of persons who are given employment are women who have asked for work.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
25. 25.

    UPSC 2000

    The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana which came into operation from 1 December 1997 aims to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor but does not include

    1. ANehru Rozgar Yojana
    2. BUrban Basic Services Programme
    3. CPrime Minister’s Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme
    4. DPrime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana
26. 26.

    UPSC 1999

    The Employment Assurance Scheme envisages financial assistance to rural areas for guaranteeing employment to at least

    1. A50 per cent of the men and women seeking jobs in rural areas
    2. B50 per cent of the men seeking jobs in rural areas
    3. Cone man and one woman in a rural family living below the poverty line
    4. DNone of the above
27. 27.

    UPSC 1997

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
    List I
    I. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh
    II. Mahila Samriddhi Yojana
    III. Indira Mahila Yojana
    IV. Mahila Samakhya Programme
    
    List II
    A) Empowerment of women
    B) Education for Women’s Equality
    C) Promotion of savings among rural women
    D) Meeting credit needs of the poor women
    Codes:

    1. AI-C, II-B, III-A, IV-D
    2. BI-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B
    3. CI-D, II-C, III-A, IV-B
    4. DI-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C
28. 28.

    UPSC 1997

    Schemes of (i) Urban Micro Enterprises, (ii) Urban Wage Employment, and (iii) Housing and Shelter Upgradation are parts of

    1. AIntegrated Rural Development Programme
    2. BNehru Rozgar Yojana
    3. CJawahar Rozgar Yojana
    4. DPrime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana
29. 29.

    UPSC 1995

    Which one of the following is true regarding the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)?

    1. AIt was launched during the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi
    2. BIt aims at creating one million jobs annually
    3. CThe target group of JRY are the urban poor living below the poverty line
    4. DUnder the scheme 30% of the employment generated is reserved for women
30. 30.

    UPSC 2001

    Consider the following schemes launched by the Union Government:
    I. Antyodaya Anna
    II. Gram Sadak Yojana
    III. Sarvapriya
    IV. Jawahar Gram Samriddhi Yojana.
    Which of these were announced in the year 2000?

    1. AI and II
    2. BII and IV
    3. CIII and IV
    4. DI, II and III
31. 31.

    UPSC 2002

    Which reference to the government’s welfare schemes, consider the following statements:
    1. Under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, the food grains are available to the poorest of the poor families at Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice.
    2. Under the National Old Age Pension Scheme, the old and destitute are provided Rs 75 per month as Central pension, in addition to the amount provided by most State Governments.
    3. Government of India has allocated 25 kg food grains per Below Poverty Line family per month, at less than half the economic cost.
    Which of these statements are correct?

    1. A1 and 2
    2. B1 and 3
    3. C2 and 3
    4. D1, 2 and 3