Baby Vaccination Schedule in India (2026): The IAP Chart, Explained Simply
A plain-language walk through the IAP immunisation schedule Indian pediatricians follow — which shots come when, what's free at government centres, and what's optional.
Baby Vaccination Schedule in India (2026)
Almost every new parent in India leaves the hospital with a vaccination card and a quiet worry: am I doing this right? The good news is that your pediatrician is working from a clear, well-tested plan — the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) immunisation schedule. This post explains the shape of it so the card stops looking like a puzzle.
The two schedules you'll hear about
- The Government of India (UIP) schedule — the free vaccines given at government hospitals and Anganwadi centres. It covers the essentials: BCG, Hepatitis B, OPV, Pentavalent, Rotavirus, PCV, IPV, MR, and boosters.
- The IAP schedule — what most private pediatricians follow. It includes everything in the UIP list plus a few optional vaccines (like Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Influenza, and Varicella) that you pay for.
Both are legitimate. The UIP schedule alone protects your child against the most dangerous childhood diseases. The IAP additions are worth discussing with your doctor, not a reason to panic if you're using government services.
The rhythm of the first year
Without turning this into a chart to memorise, the visits cluster at predictable ages:
- At birth: BCG, the first Hepatitis B dose, and OPV-0.
- 6, 10 and 14 weeks: the main "primary series" — this is the busy stretch, usually two or three injections plus oral drops per visit.
- 6 to 9 months: Influenza, Typhoid, and the first measles-containing dose around 9 months.
- 12 to 15 months: MMR, PCV booster, Hepatitis A, Varicella.
- 16 to 18 months: the first big set of boosters.
Your pediatrician plans the exact dates from your baby's birth date and hands you the next appointment before you leave. You do not need to track this yourself — but knowing the rhythm helps you spot if a visit was missed.
What parents in India ask most
"My baby got a mild fever after the shots — is that bad?" A low-grade fever or a sore, slightly swollen injection site in the day or two after vaccination is common and expected. It means the immune system is responding. Your doctor will usually tell you it's fine to give paracetamol at the right weight-based dose. A high fever, inconsolable crying for hours, or a fever that starts days later is different — call your pediatrician.
"We missed a dose because we travelled. Do we restart?" Almost never. A delayed schedule is caught up, not restarted. Take the card to your pediatrician and they'll slot the missing dose back in.
"Is the free government vaccine the same quality?" The core vaccines protect equally. The differences are in the optional extras and the convenience of private clinics, not in whether your child is protected against polio or measles.
The one habit that matters most
Keep the vaccination card safe and take a photo of it on your phone after every visit. Cards get lost, families move cities, and the next pediatrician will ask exactly what was given and when. That photo is the single most useful thing you can do.
This is general information to help you understand the schedule — your own pediatrician's plan, based on your baby's health and birth date, always comes first.