How to Open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Account: Eligibility, Benefits, Documents and Account Opening Process

Published on June 19, 2026 | 5 min read

Learn about the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), including its eligibility criteria, benefits, and account opening process.

Key Takeaways

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is a flagship financial inclusion programme designed to provide affordable access to financial services for individuals from economically weaker sections of society.
Under PMJDY, eligible beneficiaries receive various benefits such as accident insurance cover with the Rupay card issued, overdraft facility and access to other government financial schemes along with other basic financial services.
Any Indian citizen, including minors over the age of 10 operating under the guidance of a guardian, is eligible to open a PMJDY bank account, provided that they don’t have any other account.
To avail themselves of the benefits offered under PMJDY, applicants must visit the nearest bank or a Business Correspondent outlet, commonly known as a Bank Mitra, to open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account.

To bank the unbanked population into the formal banking system, the Government of India introduced the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). The scheme aims to provide essential and basic financial services such as credit, pension, and insurance to financially disadvantaged individuals.

Open FREE Demat Account within minutes!

Join now

Let’s understand what the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is, along with its benefits, eligibility criteria and account opening process.

What Is Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana?

In 2014, the Government of India introduced the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a national scheme aimed at promoting financial inclusion among the country’s unbanked population. The PMJDY scheme provides affordable access to financial services such as basic savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, and pension to financially disadvantaged individuals who do not have a bank account.

Beneficiaries of the PMJDY can open a Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) Account at any bank branch or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet to avail themselves of the financial services offered under the scheme.

Benefits Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

Beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana are provided with the following benefits.

One basic savings bank account is opened for beneficiaries with no other bank accounts.
Beneficiaries are not required to maintain a minimum balance in their PMJDY accounts.
PMJDY account holders earn interest on the funds deposited.
A RuPay debit card is provided to PMJDY account holders.
Accident Insurance cover of ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh for PMJDY accounts opened after 28 August 2018 is provided along with the RuPay card issued to PMJDY account holders.
Overdraft (OD) facility of up to ₹10,000 is provided to PMJDY account holders.
PMJDY account holders are eligible for other government schemes such as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), and Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA) scheme.

Who can open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Account?

Individuals fulfilling the following eligibility criteria can open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account.

Citizenship

Only individuals who are citizens of India can apply for the PMJDY and avail its benefits.

Age Limit

Adults as well as minors, above the age of 10 and under guardianship, can open a PMJDY account at any bank branch.

No Existing Savings Accounts

As per the guidelines laid down by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), applicants must not have any other savings bank account with any bank. This requirement ensures that the scheme benefits only the unbanked and financially disadvantaged sections of the population.

How to Open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Bank Account?

A Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account can be opened only offline. Here’s how applicants can open a PMJDY account.

Download PMJDY Account Opening Form

Visit the official PMJDY portal and click on ‘Account Opening Form’ in your preferred language, whether English or Hindi, and download the form. Applicants can also choose to visit a bank and directly obtain a physical PMJDY account opening form.

Fill the PMJDY Form

Fill in the details of the bank where the PMJDY account is being opened, along with the applicant's personal details, such as name, address, Aadhaar card number, income, and dependents. Additionally, make sure to add a nominee who will receive the deposited account balance in the event of the account holder’s demise.

Attach Required Documents

Attach the applicant’s Aadhaar card. If they don’t have an Aadhaar card, they must provide other government-issued and valid documents such as Voter ID, PAN card, Passport, Driving License, or Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card.

If the applicant does not have any of the above-mentioned documents, they can still open a ‘Small Account’ or ‘Chota Account’ under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana by submitting a self-attested photograph along with their signature or thumb impression.

The small account remains valid for 12 months from the date of activation, and its validity may be extended for another 12 months if the account holder provides a document proving that they have applied for any of the Officially Valid Documents within the 12 months of opening the small account.

Submit the Application

Review the details entered in the PMJDY account opening form and provide the documents for required verification to the nearest bank or Bank Mitra.

Documents Required to Open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

Applicants need to attach the following documents with their Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account opening form.

Applicants having an Aadhaar Card

Applicants who have an Aadhaar card need not required to submit any other documents, as it is complete proof of both identity and address. However, if the applicant has relocated and the address on their Aadhaar card differs from that of their current address, then they must provide a self-certification of their current address.

Applicants Without Aadhaar Card

Applicants not having an Aadhaar card can provide any of the following officially valid documents:
Voter ID Card
Driving License
PAN Card
Indian Passport
Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Card

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is a government scheme introduced to offer financial services to the unbanked and financially disadvantaged population in the country. Any Indian citizen above the age of 10 years who does not have an existing savings bank account can open a PMJDY account at a bank branch. Applicants having an Aadhaar Card do not need to submit any additional documents, but applicants without an Aadhaar card can submit other Officially Valid Documents (OVDs).

FAQs

Who can open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana account?

Any Indian citizen aged 10 years or above can open a Jan Dhan account if they have the required documents.

What documents are needed to open a Jan Dhan account?

You usually need an Aadhaar card, voter ID, driving licence, passport, or another valid identity and address proof.

Do I need to maintain a minimum amount in my PMJDY account?

No. A Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan account does not require account holders to maintain a minimum balance amount.

What are the benefits of a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan account?

A Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan account offers a RuPay debit card, accident insurance cover of ₹2 lakh, overdraft facility, and direct transfer of government benefits.

How can I open a Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan account?

You can visit a bank branch or a Bank Mitra, fill out the application form, submit the required documents, and open the account.

About Author

Mariyam Sara

Sub-Editor

holds an MBA in Finance and is a true Finance Fanatic. She writes extensively on all things finance whether it’s stock trading, personal finance, or insurance, chances are she’s covered it. When she’s not writing, she’s busy pursuing NISM certifications, experimenting with new baking recipes.