Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi have developed a revolutionary nanotechnology-based diagnostic kit that can detect cervical cancer within just two hours at a fraction of the current cost.
Unlike existing tests that take days and cost thousands of rupees, this new visual test is priced at less than ₹100. It has already been successfully tried on 400 patients, showing 100% accuracy in identifying cervical cancer caused by high-risk HPV (human papillomavirus).
A key advantage is that the kit does not require specialised doctors for operation. Trained ASHA workers and nurses at primary health centres can also use it, ensuring wider accessibility and early detection, especially in rural areas. However, the researchers have clarified that it is not yet approved for self-testing.
The innovation is spearheaded by Dr. Subhash Chandra Yadav from the Department of Anatomy and Dr. Neerja Bhatla, former Head of Gynaecology, along with researchers Jyoti Meena, Shikha Chaudhary, and Pranay Tanwar. Their work recently won the National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC) 2025, earning a cash prize of ₹6 lakh and attracting venture capital backing for startup development.
Health experts say the kit could transform cervical cancer screening in India, where the disease remains one of the top killers of women, especially in areas with limited diagnostic facilities.
Currently, machines costing nearly ₹30 lakh take several days to provide results that this kit can deliver in just two hours. “If the same test is done at a private hospital, the cost is around ₹6,000. Even at AIIMS, it ranges between ₹2,000 and ₹3,000. Our goal was to make it both affordable and accessible,” Dr. Yadav explained.
