BACKGROUNDCervical cancer is one of the India's major health problem and a major cause of death in women. OBJECTIVESTo find out the prevalence of cervical cancer in rural areas by effective screening methods. SETTINGStudy was conducted in Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Thanjavur. MATERIALS AND METHODSStudy was carried from January 2013 to December 2014. A total of 6420 women were screened under Pilot Screening Programme Project in Thanjavur District. VIA [Visual inspection of cervix after application of acetic acid] and VILI [Visual inspection after application of Lugol's Iodine] was done. Colposcopic guided biopsy was taken and histopathological examination was done. Its relation to HPV infection was proved with immuno-histochemical markers Ki 67 and P16INK4. RESULTSOf the 6420 women screened for cancer cervix, 7.9% were found to have cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I [CIN I], 3.2% with CIN II, 1.7 % with CIN III. A total of 9.4% women had frank carcinoma of cervix, out of which 9.1% was squamous cell carcinoma, .2% was adenocarcinoma and other tumours constituted about .1%.