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- The IAP 2026 schedule covers ~13 vaccines from birth to 18 years, several with multiple doses and boosters.
- BCG, OPV-0 and Hepatitis B are given at birth; the heaviest cluster falls at 6, 10 and 14 weeks.
- Late or migrated children follow a catch-up schedule — never restart a series, continue from where it stopped.
- Clinics that auto-compute due dates from DOB and send WhatsApp reminders see far higher completion rates.
The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) immunisation schedule is the reference most Indian pediatricians and general physicians follow for childhood vaccination. This guide lays out the 2026 schedule by age, explains how to handle catch-up cases, and shows how clinics remove the manual tracking that causes missed doses.
What is the IAP immunisation schedule?
The IAP immunisation schedule is the recommended timetable of childhood vaccines for Indian children, published by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. It is broader than the Government of India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) because it includes optional vaccines such as PCV, rotavirus, hepatitis A, typhoid, varicella, and HPV alongside the core mandatory vaccines.
IAP vaccination schedule 2026 by age
Below is the IAP schedule organised by the age at which each dose is due. Always confirm against the latest IAP advisory before administering, as recommendations are revised periodically.
| Age | Vaccines due |
|---|---|
| Birth | BCG, OPV-0, Hepatitis B-1 |
| 6 weeks | DTwP/DTaP-1, IPV-1, Hep B-2, Hib-1, Rotavirus-1, PCV-1 |
| 10 weeks | DTwP/DTaP-2, IPV-2, Hib-2, Rotavirus-2, PCV-2 |
| 14 weeks | DTwP/DTaP-3, IPV-3, Hib-3, Rotavirus-3, PCV-3 |
| 6 months | Hepatitis B-3, OPV-1 |
| 9 months | MMR-1, OPV-2 |
| 12 months | Hepatitis A-1 |
| 15 months | MMR-2, Varicella-1, PCV booster |
| 16–18 months | DTwP/DTaP booster-1, IPV booster, Hib booster |
| 18–24 months | Hepatitis A-2, Typhoid conjugate |
| 4–6 years | DTwP/DTaP booster-2, OPV-3, Varicella-2, MMR-3 |
| 9–15 years (girls) | HPV (2 doses, 6 months apart) |
| 10–12 years | Tdap/Td, annual influenza as advised |
How do you handle a child who missed doses?
For a child who missed doses, continue the series from where it stopped — never restart it. A delayed schedule does not reduce the eventual protection a completed series provides, and there is no need to repeat earlier doses regardless of the gap.
- Count valid doses already given and resume the remaining doses at the minimum intervals.
- For children who arrive late (common with migration between cities), use the IAP catch-up tables to compress intervals safely.
- Record the catch-up plan against the child's file so any doctor in the clinic can continue it.
How do clinics make sure no dose is missed?
The most reliable way to prevent missed doses is to auto-compute every due date from the child's date of birth and send the parent automated reminders before each one. Manual diaries and register books are where doses fall through the cracks, especially in a busy OPD.
In Aira Nexus Clinic, the IAP scheduler does this automatically: enter a date of birth once, and every dose date for the next 18 years is calculated against the IAP 2026 schedule, with WhatsApp reminders sent to the parent 7, 3 and 1 day before each due date.
See how the IAP vaccine scheduler automates this end to end.
Explore the pediatric featuresFrequently asked questions
Is the IAP schedule the same as the government schedule?
No. The IAP schedule includes optional vaccines (PCV, rotavirus, hepatitis A, typhoid, varicella, HPV) that the government UIP does not fully cover. Clinics generally counsel parents on both the mandatory UIP vaccines and the additional IAP-recommended ones.
Is it safe to give a vaccine late?
Yes. A late dose is still effective and the series simply continues from where it stopped. The only downside of delay is a longer window during which the child is unprotected, which is exactly why reminders matter.