OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the access of Indian cancer patients to optimum cancer care under selected government schemes by reviewing reimbursement schemes for cancer care in India. METHODS: All cancer care reimbursement schemes in India were identified using search engine Google and three highly utilized schemes (VAS, RAS, CMCHS) were selected to further explore patient access to quality cancer care. Quality cancer care was reviewed with respect to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines version 2, 2015, with focus on five major cancer types in India: breast, colorectal, lung, head & neck and gastric. Direct medical costs involved in using each chemotherapy regimen reimbursed were calculated and compared with actual reimbursed amounts per scheme. RESULTS:  Maximal budget assigned for each patient is $1538 for CMCHS and $3076 for both VAS and RAS. Medical oncology practice following the scheme’s formulary is inferior to recommendations by the NCCN guidelines. Innovative treatment (targeted therapy) like trastuzumab, pertuzumab (breast), bevacizumab, cetuximab, panitumumab (colorectal), erlotinib, gefitinib, crizotinib and nivolumab (lung) are either not reimbursed (VAS, CMCHS) or partially reimbursed (RAS). Average shortage of budget was found to be 43% (breast), 55% (colorectal), 74% (lung), 7% (head & neck) and 51% (gastric cancer). There is no clear policy and no budget assigned for use of anti-emetics, antibiotics, colony stimulating factors, opioids and nutritional supplements under all three schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Although the schemes do protect cancer patients of lower economic background for catastrophic healthcare expenditure in India, it does not provide them with optimal cancer treatment. To improve survival of Indian cancer patients, policy makers should consider addition of newer treatments, exclusion of sub-optimal treatments, increments in per patient budget and optimization of supportive care. Reimbursement policies should be made based on cost effectiveness and budget impact analysis studies.