Why it matters

Scholarships and many government benefits are paid straight into a bank account (Direct Benefit Transfer). Some scholarships need the account in the student’s own name, so check your scheme’s rules.

How to open one

  1. Visit any bank branch, or your post office for an India Post Payments Bank account.
  2. Ask for a Jan Dhan (PMJDY) or basic savings (BSBDA) account. Both need no minimum balance.
  3. Fill the form and show one officially valid document.
  4. Ask the bank to link (seed) your Aadhaar to the account for government payments.

Documents banks accept (officially valid documents)

Aadhaar, Voter ID, passport, driving licence, NREGA job card, or an NPR letter. Take a photo too.

What you get with Jan Dhan

  • No minimum balance
  • A RuPay debit card
  • Accident insurance of Rs 2 lakh for accounts opened after 28 August 2018
  • Jan Dhan Yojana: pmjdy.gov.in
  • Check Aadhaar seeding: ask your bank, or use NPCI’s Bharat Aadhaar Seeding Enabler (BASE)

Never share your ATM PIN, OTP or UPI PIN with anyone.