Punjab National Bank vs City Union Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

Punjab National Bank offers dedicated accounts for kids such as PNB Junior SF Account and the PNB Vidyarthi SF Account. City Union Bank offers a dedicated savings account called Junior India for children.

Let us look at each of these accounts.

Children’s Savings Accounts from Punjab National Bank

PNB is the second largest bank in India after SBI and offers specific accounts for children such as the PNB Junior SF Account and the PNB Vidyarthi SF Account.

PNB Junior SF Account

The account can be opened by a child through her parent or guardian or she can open and operate it herself if she has crossed 10 years of age.

Features

  • As mentioned, any child of any age can open the PNB Junior SF Account through her parent or guardian. Children over 10 years of age can open and operate the account under their own name
  • There is no minimum deposit needed to open the account. Plus, there is no need for any minimum balance either
  • The child can get a free cheque book of 20 leaves per six months, i.e. two chequebooks of 40 leaves per year
  • Demand drafts made out to pay school or college fees are free of cost
  • The bank, however, has put a limit of Rs. 5,000 on debit card use per day, be that through ATM withdrawals, POS transactions at shops (card swipe in case you are wondering) or online payments
  • Kids or their parents can have a view of the account balance and transactions through both online and mobiles but transactions are not allowed

PNB Vidyarthi SF Account

The account as the name suggests is for children studying in recognised educational institutions.

Features

  • The account is available for children up to 21 years of age. Once they reach adulthood, the account becomes a standard savings account with all its perks and limitations
  • Like the PNB Junior SF Account, there are no minimum balance requirements for initial deposit and average quarterly balance in the PNB Vidyarthi SF Account
  • All demand drafts made out for any type of fees are free of cost
  • Like the children’s account, the child is eligible to receive two chequebooks of 20 leaves each per year
  • Most fees and charges in the account have been waived off by the bank through there is an annual maintenance charge for the debit card

Children’s Savings Accounts from City Union Bank

Tamil Nadu-headquartered City Union Bank is the oldest private sector bank in the country having been established in 1904. It offers a dedicated savings account for children called Junior India. It also offers an account for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years called Young India.

Junior India

The account can be opened for children with ages ranging from 1 day to 18 years

Features

  • The account is operated by the parent or guardian
  • Children above the age of 12 years can undertake transactions at the bank or through ATMs on their own
  • Account holders above 12 years also get access to internet banking (CUB Net) and mobile banking (CUB Mobile) facilities
  • School and college fees can be made free of cost under the Junior India account
  • Online transfer to other City Union Bank accounts through NEFT, RTGS or IMPS is free too
  • The standard KYC documents and proofs are needed for both the child and the parent or guardian to open the account

Reference Facts

  • Punjab National Bank Website: www.pnbindia.in and www.netpnb.com (net banking)
  • Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 180 2222, 1800 103 2222
  • City Union Bank Website: www.cityunionbank.com
  • Headquarters: Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
  • Call Centre Number: 044 7122 5000