How many vaccine-preventable diseases are covered under the National Immunization Schedule (NIS) of India?

NORCET 8 Prelims-2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 8 Prelims-2025

Explanation

India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) provides free vaccines against 12 life-threatening diseases under the National Immunization Schedule (NIS).
This national program is one of the largest and most comprehensive public health initiatives in the world.
The 12 diseases covered are: Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis B, Pneumonia and Meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (in endemic areas), Rotavirus diarrhoea, and Pneumococcal Pneumonia.

Option A: This number is too low and reflects an older version of the immunization schedule before the inclusion of several newer vaccines.
Option B: This number is outdated. It does not account for the nationwide expansion and inclusion of vaccines like the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), Rotavirus vaccine, and Rubella vaccine into the universal program.
Option D: This number is incorrect for the universal schedule. While other vaccines are available privately or recommended by bodies like the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) for specific situations, they are not part of the free, universal national schedule for all citizens.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart displaying the National Immunization Schedule of India, showing the vaccines, diseases they prevent, and the age at which they are administered.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Knowledge of India's National Immunization Schedule (NIS) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are at the forefront of the UIP, responsible for administering vaccines, educating parents on the importance of timely immunization, managing the cold chain to ensure vaccine efficacy, and maintaining accurate records.
Understanding the NIS is critical for community health nurses to provide correct information and reduce vaccine hesitancy.
What if a child misses a scheduled vaccine? The nurse should consult the catch-up immunization schedule. A delay does not require restarting the entire series; the schedule is simply resumed from where it was left off to ensure the child is protected.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question based on a major national health program.
Identify the key terms in the question: 'National Immunization Schedule' and 'vaccine-preventable diseases'.
Recall the current list of diseases covered under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in India.
Systematically count the number of distinct diseases to arrive at the correct total.
Eliminate options that are clearly outdated (too low) or include optional, non-universal vaccines (too high).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Knowledge of India's National Immunization Schedule (NIS)
Stem keywords: National Immunization Schedule, NIS, vaccine-preventable diseases, India
Lead-in keywords: How many
Negative lead-in flag: false

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