With reference to "Aam Admi 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?

Updated 11 Apr 2026

Contents15
UPSC Prelims GS2011Indian Economy
  1. A1 only
  2. B2 and 3 only
  3. C1 and 3 only
  4. D1, 2 and 3
Show answer

Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only

Statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Statement 2 is WRONG.

Aam Admi Bima Yojana (Common Man's Insurance Scheme), launched in 2007:

  • Statement 1 (✓): The scheme covers the HEAD of the family OR the earning member of a RURAL LANDLESS HOUSEHOLD. It specifically targets the poorest of the poor — those who don't even own land.

  • Statement 2 (✗): The correct age group is 18-59 years, NOT 30-65 years. The question deliberately gives the wrong age range to test careful reading. Starting at 30 would exclude young workers, and extending to 65 goes beyond the actual limit of 59.

  • Statement 3 (✓): The scheme includes a scholarship component — up to TWO CHILDREN of the insured member studying in classes 9 to 12 receive ₹100 per month per child as scholarship. This is a unique feature that adds educational support beyond just insurance.

The scheme provides:

  • Death/disability insurance (₹30,000-75,000 coverage).
  • Premium: ₹200/year (50% paid by state government, 50% from Social Security Fund).

Note: This scheme was later merged into Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (2015).

Why this was asked

Aam Admi Bima Yojana specifically targets rural landless households — the poorest segment who own no land and depend entirely on labor income.

The scheme combines life insurance with education scholarships for children in classes 9-12, making it a comprehensive social security tool rather than just insurance coverage.

Aam Admi Bima Yojana

Indian Economy Aam Admi Bima Yojana rural landless household age group scholarship

Aam Admi Bima Yojana: Coverage, Benefits & Key Features

Must know

AABY launched in 2007 for rural landless households - head or earning member eligible

Age eligibility: 18-59 years (not 30-65 as often confused)

Scholarship provision: ₹100/month for up to 2 children in classes 9-12

Good to know

Premium: ₹200/year (50% state govt + 50% Social Security Fund)

Later merged into Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana in 2015

Target Group

Aam Admi Bima Yojana (AABY) was launched in 2007 to provide life insurance coverage to India's most vulnerable population - rural landless households. The scheme specifically targets families who do not own agricultural land and depend on daily wage labor for survival.

Eligibility Criteria

Parameter

Requirement

Key Details

Household Type

Rural landless

Must not own agricultural land

Member Coverage

Head of family OR earning member

Only one member per household

Age Range

18-59 years

Excludes minors and senior citizens

Employment

Daily wage earner

Primarily manual laborers

Scheme Benefits

Benefit Type

Coverage Amount

Conditions

Natural Death

₹30,000

Death due to natural causes

Accidental Death

₹75,000

Death due to accident

Partial Disability

₹37,500

50% of accidental death benefit

Total Permanent Disability

₹75,000

Complete inability to work

Scholarship

₹100/month per child

Up to 2 children, classes 9-12

Question Connection

This 2011 UPSC question tested precise knowledge of AABY features. Statement 2 was the trap - using 30-65 years instead of the correct 18-59 years age range. The scholarship provision (Statement 3) was correctly identified by many candidates, but the age trap caught those who didn't study the scheme details carefully.

Exam traps

Age Trap: UPSC gave 30-65 years - actual eligibility is 18-59 years

Confusion with PMJJBY: Don't mix features of AABY with its successor scheme launched in 2015

Household Coverage: Only ONE member per household eligible, not multiple earning members

Scholarship Limit: Maximum 2 children only, studying in classes 9-12 specifically

Premium Split: ₹200 total - half from state government, half from Social Security Fund (not individual payment)

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana

Indian Economy

PMJJBY: Modern Successor to AABY with Wider Coverage

Must know

PMJJBY launched May 2015 as part of Jan Suraksha package

Age eligibility: 18-50 years for entry, coverage till 55 years

Premium: ₹330/year with ₹2 lakh death coverage

Good to know

Eligibility: Bank account holders (not limited to landless)

Evolution from AABY

PMJJBY replaced AABY in 2015 as part of the Jan Suraksha package. Unlike AABY's focus on rural landless households, PMJJBY covers all bank account holders, making it more inclusive and easier to implement through the banking network.

AABY vs PMJJBY Comparison

Feature

AABY (2007-2015)

PMJJBY (2015-Present)

Target Group

Rural landless households

All bank account holders

Age Range

18-59 years

18-50 years (entry), coverage till 55

Premium

₹200/year

₹330/year

Death Benefit

₹30,000 (natural), ₹75,000 (accidental)

₹2 lakh (any reason)

Scholarship

₹100/month for 2 children

No scholarship component

Implementation

Through LIC and other insurers

Through banks with insurance partners

Exam traps

Scheme Confusion: Don't attribute PMJJBY features to AABY or vice versa

Age Difference: PMJJBY has different age criteria - entry up to 50, not 59 like AABY

Premium Amount: PMJJBY is ₹330, not ₹200 like AABY

No Scholarship: PMJJBY doesn't have the scholarship component that AABY had

Jan Suraksha Schemes Package

Indian Economy

Jan Suraksha Package: Three Pillars of Social Security

Must know

Three schemes launched together in May 2015 for comprehensive social security

PMJJBY (life insurance), PMSBY (accident insurance), APY (pension)

All schemes require bank account and Aadhaar for enrollment

Good to know

Combined coverage for death, disability, and old-age security

Comprehensive Social Security

The Jan Suraksha package represents the government's attempt to provide universal social security through the banking system. All three schemes work together to cover life's major risks - premature death, accidents, and old-age poverty.

Jan Suraksha Schemes Overview

Scheme

Coverage Type

Premium/Contribution

Benefit Amount

Age Limit

PMJJBY

Life Insurance

₹330/year

₹2 lakh

18-50 (entry)

PMSBY

Accident Insurance

₹12/year

₹2 lakh (death), ₹1 lakh (disability)

18-70

APY

Pension

₹42-1,454/month

₹1,000-5,000/month pension

18-40 (entry)

Jan Suraksha Architecture

# Jan Suraksha Package
## PMJJBY
- Life Insurance
- ₹2 lakh coverage
- Any cause death
- Bank account mandatory
## PMSBY
- Accident Insurance
- ₹2L death, ₹1L disability
- Cheapest premium ₹12
- Age up to 70
## APY
- Guaranteed Pension
- ₹1K-5K monthly
- Government co-contribution
- NPS architecture

Evolution of Social Security Schemes

Indian Economy

From Targeted to Universal: Social Security Evolution in India

Must know

Pre-2015: Targeted schemes for specific groups (AABY for landless, etc.)

Post-2015: Universal schemes through banking system (Jan Suraksha)

Good to know

Shift from paper-based to digital enrollment and claims

Integration with JAM trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile)

Paradigm Shift

India's social security approach evolved from targeted interventions (like AABY for specific vulnerable groups) to universal schemes accessible to anyone with a bank account. This shift leveraged the financial inclusion drive and digital infrastructure to achieve wider coverage.

Old vs New Approach

Aspect

Old Model (Pre-2015)

New Model (Post-2015)

Targeting

Specific vulnerable groups

Universal (bank account holders)

Implementation

Multiple agencies, complex processes

Banking network, simplified

Documentation

Extensive paperwork, verification

Aadhaar-based, minimal docs

Premium Collection

Cash payments, agents

Auto-debit from bank accounts

Claims Process

Manual, time-consuming

Digital, faster settlement

Coverage Tracking

Difficult to monitor

Real-time database tracking

Exam traps

Timeline Confusion: Don't mix features of pre-2015 schemes with Jan Suraksha schemes

Implementation Agency: Old schemes through LIC/insurers, new ones through banks

Target Group: AABY was landless-specific, PMJJBY is universal for account holders