Social Security and Pension Schemes 2026

Social Security, Retirement and Pension Schemes in India: Complete Guide for UPSC EPFO and APFC

Social security protects people during difficult stages of life. These may include old age, disability, illness, unemployment or the death of an earning family member.

India has introduced several welfare schemes for different groups. Some provide pensions. Others offer insurance, healthcare, housing, food security or livelihood support.

These schemes are important for UPSC, EPFO, APFC and other competitive examinations. Aspirants should understand their objectives, eligibility rules, benefits and implementing agencies.

What Is Social Security?

Social security is a system of public support. It protects individuals and families against financial hardship.

It may provide assistance through:

• Old-age pensions
• Life and accident insurance
• Health coverage
• Food support
• Rural housing
• Disability assistance
• Livelihood loans
• Skill development
• Family pensions

India’s social-security framework includes both contributory and non-contributory schemes.

In a contributory scheme, the beneficiary pays a fixed amount. The government may also contribute.

In a non-contributory scheme, assistance is funded mainly by the government.

Major Social Security Schemes at a Glance

1. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana is commonly called PM-SYM.

It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme. It was created for eligible workers in the unorganised sector.

Who can join PM-SYM?

The applicant should:

• Be between 18 and 40 years old
• Work in the unorganised sector
• Have a monthly income of up to ₹15,000
• Not be covered under EPFO, ESIC or the government-funded NPS
• Not be an income-tax payer

Street vendors, agricultural workers, construction workers, domestic workers, rickshaw drivers, fishermen, carpenters and similar workers may qualify.

Contribution and benefits

The beneficiary contributes between ₹55 and ₹200 per month. The exact amount depends on the age at entry.

The Central Government provides an equal contribution.

After reaching 60 years, the subscriber receives an assured pension of ₹3,000 per month.

After the subscriber’s death, the spouse may receive 50% of the pension as family pension. If both spouses enrol separately, each can become entitled to an individual pension.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment administers the scheme through the Life Insurance Corporation of India and enrolment channels such as Common Service Centres. Ministry of Labour and Employment

2. National Pension Scheme for Traders and Self-Employed Persons

This scheme is also known as the National Pension Scheme for Traders, Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons.

It offers old-age protection to small traders and eligible self-employed workers.

Eligibility

An applicant should generally:

• Be between 18 and 40 years old
• Be a trader, shopkeeper or self-employed person
• Have annual business turnover not exceeding ₹1.5 crore
• Not be covered under EPFO, ESIC or PM-SYM
• Not be an income-tax payer

Eligible groups may include small shop owners, restaurant owners, hotel operators and real-estate brokers.

Main benefit

The subscriber receives an assured pension of ₹3,000 per month after reaching 60 years.

The monthly contribution depends on the age at entry. It ranges from ₹55 to ₹200. The Central Government makes an equal matching contribution.

3. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, or PMJJBY, is a renewable term-life insurance scheme.

It provides financial assistance to the nominee if the insured person dies.

Important features

A person can remain covered up to the age of 55, subject to annual renewal and scheme conditions.

The subscriber must have an eligible bank or post-office account. A nominee should also be registered.

PMJJBY is pure term insurance. It does not offer a maturity or investment benefit.

A 30-day lien period generally applies to non-accidental death for first-time or rejoining subscribers. Department of Financial Services

4. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, or PMSBY, is an accident-insurance scheme.

It covers accidental death and specified disabilities.

Coverage

People between 18 and 70 years can join through an eligible bank or post-office account.

The premium is deducted through auto-debit after the account holder gives consent.

PMSBY does not provide general life insurance. Its benefits apply only to accidental death or qualifying accidental disability. Department of Financial Services

5. Atal Pension Yojana

Atal Pension Yojana was launched to promote retirement savings, especially among workers outside formal pension systems.

Subscribers can select a guaranteed monthly pension of:

• ₹1,000
• ₹2,000
• ₹3,000
• ₹4,000
• ₹5,000

The pension begins after the subscriber reaches 60 years.

Eligibility

A person should:

• Be an Indian citizen
• Be between 18 and 40 years old
• Have a savings bank or post-office account
• Make regular contributions until the age of 60

A person who is or has been an income-tax payer cannot open a new APY account under the rule effective from October 1, 2022.

Family benefits

After the subscriber dies, the spouse can receive the same pension. After the death of both subscriber and spouse, the accumulated pension corpus is returned to the nominee.

The contribution depends on the entry age and chosen pension amount. Joining at a younger age usually means a lower monthly contribution.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority regulates the scheme.

6. Public Distribution System and One Nation One Ration Card

The Public Distribution System provides food grains to eligible households through fair-price shops.

It operates mainly under the National Food Security Act, 2013.

Food-grain entitlement

The Central Government has continued free food grains for eligible NFSA beneficiaries under the current food-security arrangement.

One Nation One Ration Card

The One Nation One Ration Card system makes ration benefits portable.

An eligible beneficiary can collect food grains from an enabled fair-price shop outside their home district or state. This is particularly useful for migrant workers.

Biometric authentication and digitised ration-card records help support this portability.

7. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin provides housing assistance to eligible rural households.

Its objective is to help families without adequate housing construct a pucca house with basic facilities.

Financial assistance

• ₹1.20 lakh in plain areas
• ₹1.30 lakh in hilly states, difficult areas and specified regions

Beneficiaries may also receive support through convergence with other schemes. This can include toilets, electricity, drinking water, LPG connections and wage employment.

Selection is based on official deprivation data, housing conditions and verification by local authorities. The scheme is not available automatically to every rural family.

8. National Social Assistance Programme

The National Social Assistance Programme is a centrally sponsored social-welfare programme.

It provides assistance to vulnerable people with limited means of subsistence.

Its major components include:

• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
• Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme
• Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme
• National Family Benefit Scheme
• Annapurna Scheme

The Union Government provides a prescribed amount. State governments often add their own contribution.

Therefore, the final pension received by a beneficiary can differ from one state to another.

NSAP is administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.

9. Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is one of India’s major publicly funded health-assurance schemes.

It provides cashless treatment for eligible hospitalisation services.

Main benefits

• Health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year
• Secondary and tertiary hospitalisation
• Cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals
• Nationwide portability
• Coverage of eligible pre-existing conditions
• No restriction on family size for entitled families under the core scheme

Eligibility is determined through approved government databases and state-specific criteria.

The scheme has also been expanded to provide health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income, under applicable rules.

Beneficiaries should confirm eligibility through the official PM-JAY system before seeking treatment.

10. Health Protection for Handloom Weavers

The government has operated health and welfare programmes for handloom weavers at different times.

Earlier arrangements included a Health Insurance Scheme for weavers. Some older study materials mention benefits such as hospitalisation, outpatient care, maternity support and treatment for pre-existing diseases.

However, aspirants should be careful with this topic. Benefit amounts from older schemes may no longer represent the current policy framework.

For examinations, always check the latest notification issued by the Ministry of Textiles. Do not treat outdated insurance limits as current figures unless the question refers to a particular year.

11. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana, or PM-KMY, is a pension scheme for small and marginal farmers.

It is voluntary and contributory.

Eligibility and benefits

The farmer generally contributes between ₹55 and ₹200 per month. The Central Government deposits an equal amount.

Exclusion rules apply to certain higher-income persons, institutional landholders and people covered by specified statutory social-security schemes.

12. National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation

The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation is known as NSKFDC.

It works under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

It supports Safai Karamcharis, sanitation workers, waste pickers, identified manual scavengers and their eligible dependants.

Its assistance may include:

• Concessional loans
• Self-employment support
• Skill-development programmes
• Education loans
• Sanitation-related projects
• Financial support through authorised agencies and banks

The corporation aims to promote social and economic development. The exact loan amount, interest rate and eligibility conditions depend on the programme.

13. Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers and NAMASTE

India has implemented rehabilitation measures for identified manual scavengers through the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers.

Earlier provisions included one-time cash assistance, skill training, stipends and concessional loans.

Policy attention has increasingly shifted towards mechanised and safe sanitation work through the NAMASTE scheme.

NAMASTE stands for National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem.

Its objectives include:

• Ending hazardous manual cleaning
• Profiling sewer and septic-tank workers
• Providing safety equipment
• Promoting mechanised cleaning
• Offering occupational-safety training
• Supporting alternative livelihoods
• Improving access to health and social protection

Manual scavenging is prohibited by law. Rehabilitation measures are intended to restore dignity, safety and livelihood opportunities.

Key Differences for Examination Revision

Important Facts for UPSC EPFO and APFC

• PM-SYM is meant for eligible unorganised workers.
• PM-SYM provides a pension of ₹3,000 per month after 60.
• PMJJBY covers death due to any cause.
• PMSBY covers accidental death and specified disabilities.
• APY offers pension choices from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000.
• PFRDA regulates Atal Pension Yojana.
• NFSA provides 5 kg per person to priority households.
• Antyodaya households receive 35 kg per family per month.
• ONORC makes ration benefits portable.
• PMAY-G supports the construction of rural pucca houses.
• NSAP is administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
• AB-PMJAY offers health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year.
• PM-KMY is intended for eligible small and marginal farmers.
• NSKFDC supports sanitation workers and their dependants.
• NAMASTE promotes safe and mechanised sanitation work.

Why These Schemes Matter

India has a large unorganised workforce. Many workers do not receive an employer-funded pension, health insurance or paid leave.

Government schemes help reduce this gap.

Pension programmes provide income after retirement. Insurance schemes protect families from sudden financial shocks. Food and housing programmes meet basic needs. Health schemes reduce the burden of expensive hospital treatment.

Together, these initiatives strengthen financial inclusion and social justice.

Conclusion

India’s social-security system covers many stages of life. It supports people during old age, illness, disability and economic hardship.

However, every scheme has different rules. Age, income, occupation, landholding and existing social-security coverage may affect eligibility.

For competitive examinations, candidates should focus on four points: the target group, implementing ministry, contribution structure and major benefit. They should also use the latest official notification because premiums, benefits and eligibility rules can change.