India set to launch free nationwide HPV vaccination for adolescent girls
The Union Health Ministry is set to launch a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme targeting girls aged 14 years. The vaccination will be voluntary and free of cost, ensuring equitable access across socio-economic groups. India will use Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine, for protection from HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11. “Global and Indian scientific evidence confirms that a single dose provides robust and durable protection when administered to girls in the recommended age group,’’ a senior Health Ministry official said.
TRAI backs sale of all available spectrum; proposes lower entry barriers, 35% cap
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) recommended auctioning the entire available radiowave spectrum while proposing lower entry barriers for new players and a uniform 35% spectrum cap to safeguard competition in the telecom sector. While TRAI has not officially disclosed the combined base price of the entire spectrum on offer, as per industry calculations, if all the spectrum on offer across bands (excluding 600 MHz) is sold, the radiowaves could fetch nearly ₹81,000 crore at the reserve price.
