UPSC Prelims 2015— Question 1

Correct answer: Option C. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was launched as a national mission for financial inclusion. Its purpose is to provide universal access to banking services, especially for unbanked and financially excluded households, through basic bank accounts and associated facilities. It is not primarily a housing-credit, women’s self-help-group, or direct welfare-transfer scheme. Option-wise analysis: Option A: “providing housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option B: “promoting women’s Self-Help Groups in backward areas” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option C: “promoting financial inclusion in the country” is correct. It directly matches the factual or conceptual requirement tested by the question and is supported by the principle explained above. Option D: “providing financial help to the marginalized communities” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Prelims takeaway: Focus on the precise institutional role, constitutional provision, geographical association, or technical definition being tested. UPSC questions often place a broadly familiar fact beside a narrowly incorrect qualifier; identifying that qualifier is essential for elimination.