Intro Cervical cancer is the third largest cause of the cancer deaths in India. It has an incidence of 30.7 per 100,000 women (highest relative to that of all other types of cancer). The prevalence and burden of cervical cancer is much higher among rural women mainly due to the lack of access to screening and health services, and lack of awareness of the risk factors of cervical cancer. HPV infection and precancerous lesions go unnoticed and develop into full blown cancer before women realise they need to go for medical help.