India's financial inclusion drive, anchored by Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) launched on August 28, 2014, has enrolled over 53 crore beneficiaries by 2024, with deposits exceeding ₹2.3 lakh crore. Over 55% of Jan Dhan accounts belong to women, and 67% are in rural or semi-urban areas. The scheme provides zero-balance accounts, RuPay debit cards, ₹2 lakh accident insurance, and ₹30,000 life cover, forming India's foundational JAM Trinity infrastructure.

Financial inclusion means ensuring every individual and household has access to useful and affordable financial products and services — including transactions, payments, savings, credit, and insurance — delivered in a responsible and sustainable way. In India, the policy architecture rests on three pillars: the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan accounts + Aadhaar + Mobile), the Business Correspondent (BC) model for last-mile delivery, and the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework mandating banks to direct 40% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) toward underserved sectors.

PMJDY is the world's largest financial inclusion programme, recognised by the Guinness World Records. It operationalises the RBI's financial inclusion mandate through commercial banks, RRBs, and cooperative banks. The scheme's Overdraft (OD) facility — up to ₹10,000 per account — acts as a micro-credit lifeline. NABARD complements this through SHG-Bank Linkage Programme (SHG-BLP) and MUDRA Yojana, targeting agricultural and rural credit gaps.

For RBI, financial inclusion connects to Priority Sector targets, BC regulation, and Payments Bank licensing. For NABARD, it links to rural credit flow, RIDF, and SHG loan limits under DAY-NRLM. For UPSC, it frames welfare delivery, DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), and governance reform. The examiner tests whether the aspirant can distinguish scheme parameters, implementing agencies, and underlying policy rationale — not just scheme names.