The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the Centre six weeks to complete the process of finalising a rehabilitation framework for officer cadets who were medically discharged from military training institutes after suffering disabilities during training.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan recorded the Centre’s submission that the Army, Navy and Air Force have already sent positive recommendations on the issue, which are now under consideration by the Ministry of Defence and will subsequently require approval from the Ministry of Finance. Taking note of the request for additional time, the court adjourned the matter to January 20, 2026.
The proceedings arise from a suo motu case initiated by the Supreme Court to address the long-standing difficulties faced by cadets who were forced to exit premier military academies due to training-related disabilities. These include institutions such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the bench that the recommendations from all three services were favourable, but procedural clearances from the two ministries were still pending. The court accepted that some time was needed to complete this process.
The case has drawn attention to the absence of a comprehensive support system for out-boarded officer cadets. Senior advocate Rekha Palli, appointed as amicus curiae, has previously placed written submissions before the court suggesting measures such as continued medical assistance, financial support, insurance coverage, and educational and resettlement options for affected cadets.
As part of interim relief, the Centre had earlier assured the court that cadets discharged due to training-related disabilities would be covered under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). The bench was informed that from August 29, all such cadets were included in the scheme, with the one-time subscription fee waived.
The Supreme Court has also expressed concern over the adequacy of financial and insurance benefits currently available. It has noted that the existing ex-gratia payment, in force since 2017, needs reconsideration and possible enhancement in view of inflation and rising costs. The court has similarly observed that the prevailing insurance cover may be insufficient and could be strengthened.
The suo motu case was triggered on August 12 after a media report highlighted the plight of these cadets. According to the report, around 500 officer cadets have been medically discharged from military academies since 1985 due to varying degrees of disability incurred during training. Many are now struggling with high medical expenses while receiving an ex-gratia monthly payment of up to Rs 40,000, depending on the extent of disability.
The report also pointed out that in the NDA alone, about 20 cadets were medically discharged over a five-year period between 2021 and July 2025. Unlike commissioned soldiers who acquire ex-servicemen status and become eligible for lifetime medical benefits, these cadets are denied such status because their disabilities occurred before commissioning, leaving them without access to free treatment at military and empanelled hospitals until recent court intervention.
With the court now setting a clear timeline, the next hearing is expected to indicate whether the Centre’s proposed rehabilitation measures will finally bridge a decades-old gap in support for these former officer cadets.
