Today, On 16th December, The Supreme Court granted the Union Government six weeks to finalise rehabilitation recommendations for officer cadets discharged from military training due to disabilities. A Bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan adjourned proceedings till January 28.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court granted the Union Government six weeks to finalize the rehabilitation recommendations for officer cadets who were discharged from military training due to disabilities.
A Bench consisting of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan adjourned the suo motu proceedings until January 28, expecting that significant progress will be made by that time regarding the approvals needed for the recommendations from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati informed the Court that consultations with the three service headquarters had concluded positively.
She noted that the formulation of a rehabilitation scheme now requires the Ministry of Defence’s approval, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, before presenting the final proposal to the Court.
Requesting additional time, the ASG asked for six weeks to complete the process, assuring the Bench that efforts would be made to expedite the matter. On the other hand, Amicus Curiae Senior Advocate Rekha Palli raised concerns about ongoing delays, indicating that similar recommendations had been made by various sub-committees over the last decade with little progress.
She suggested that the Court could instruct the Ministry to submit its decision in a sealed cover, given the lengthy wait on the issue.
Acknowledging the ASG’s statements regarding the favorable recommendations from the three services and the ongoing reviews by the two Ministries, the Court adjourned to January 28, expressing its anticipation for tangible progress by that hearing date.
Earlier, in October, the Court had asked the Centre to develop a scheme for rehabilitating out-boarded military cadets.
The Court said,
“It is expected that a scheme of facilities and amenities would be provided to these out-boarded officer cadets so that they could be rehabilitated, both medically as well as otherwise, in their future life,”
Earlier, On September 5, the Court appointed retired Justice and Senior Advocate Rekha Palli as amicus curiae in the suo motu case regarding cadets who were medically discharged during training at prestigious institutions such as the NDA and IMA.
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The Court also acknowledged the Union government’s prompt response to the issues faced by cadets, as Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati had submitted a status report.
In its order, the bench stated,
“The ECHS scheme would be applicable to all invalidated out boarded cadets due to attributability or aggravation by military training.”
The Court appreciated the respondents’ positive response, noting,
“We have perused the amounts that are provided as ex-gratia per month. Endeavors should be made to enhance the amounts bearing in mind the inflation and price rise.”
Additionally, On August 18, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Union of India, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Social Justice regarding the plight of officer cadets medically discharged during training at elite academies such as the NDA and IMA due to disabilities acquired before commissioning.
These cadets are often excluded from ex-servicemen status and benefits under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, despite facing lifelong injuries.
Media reports indicate that since 1985, around 500 cadets have been discharged on medical grounds and are grappling with rising medical bills, receiving only a monthly ex gratia payment of up to Rs.40,000 an amount insufficient for basic needs while average medical expenses frequently exceed 50,000 per month.
At the NDA alone, roughly 20 cadets were discharged on medical grounds between 2021 and July 2025.
Case Title: In Re: Cadets Disabled in Military Training Struggle