Eight to ten weeks of structured courses is what the Centre has proposed for cadets disabled during military training, and the Supreme Court took up that skill training proposal on Wednesday in its suo motu case on boarded-out cadets.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on October 7 heard the suo motu case on cadets who incurred disabilities during military training, as the Union’s counsel took the Court through an affidavit proposing skill training courses for medically boarded-out cadets [In Re: Cadets Disabled In Military Training Struggle, SMW(C) No. 6/2025].
A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice D.K. Upadhyaya heard the matter. The hearing was still in progress when this report was prepared, so the Court’s directions are not covered here.
Why the Court took this up
The Court began the case on its own motion after cadets discharged on medical grounds during training were left without pension or ex-servicemen status. The Centre’s proposal responds to the Court’s earlier push for a rehabilitation scheme, and skill training is the first concrete alternative the Union has put forward.
The courses on offer
As per the affidavit, the Ministry of Defence proposes 8 to 10 week structured courses to help such cadets move from military training into corporate and administrative employment, aimed at those with disability below 40 percent. The fields include cyber security, solar PV systems, industrial automation, data analytics, drone operations, logistics, banking, retail management, security, HR administration, automotive service, hospitality and fire safety.
Training costs are stated to range from Rs 15,000 to Rs 55,000 per cadet, with additional allowances for travel, meals and lodging. The Ministry has also signed memoranda of understanding with universities for lateral entry into undergraduate programmes, with academic credit recognised.
What the Ministry did not accept
On wider benefits, the affidavit states that a proposal to give ex-servicemen status to medically boarded-out ex-cadets was processed in 2011 but not accepted, and that a 2022 proposal for disability pension at officer rates was also rejected.
ALSO READ: ECHS facility extended to cadets disabled during training, Centre tells Supreme Court
What turns on the Court’s view
Whether the Court finds skill training an adequate answer will determine what relief these cadets finally receive.
Case Title: In Re: Cadets Disabled In Military Training Struggle [SMW(C) No. 6/2025]
Bench: Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, Supreme Court of India
Date of Hearing: October 7, 2026