SC urges Centre to implement insurance scheme for cadets

THe sublime margaret court on mon urged the unification regime to promptly put in place an insurance scheme and enhance medical support for officer cadets who are discharged from military training academies after suffering disabilities, warning that aspirants “cannot be left high and dry” or “disheartened” after attempting to join the armed forces.Taking up a suo motu matter on the plight of such cadets, a bench of justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan issued notice to the Union of India through ministries of defence (MoD), finance, and social justice and empowerment, along with the offices of the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The court fixed the matter for further hearing on September 4, asking the government to return with a “comprehensive affidavit”.“We want brave people to join our forces. If they are left high and dry, they will be disheartened,” observed the bench during the hearing, as it flagged the absence of a safety net for trainees injured during “extensive and rigorous” training. “Every trainee has to be insured. The risk is very high… No one can predict injuries and it can happen to anyone during such trainings,” the court said.In its order, the bench recorded four immediate areas for government action and response. It asked the authorities to explore and propose an insurance cover for trainee cadets to meet exigencies arising out of training-related disabilities, besides considering an increase in medical expenditure for injured cadets, including long-term treatment needs. The court also urged the government to provide for reassessment after treatment and design suitable training or rehabilitation pathways, including avenues for employment. Last, the bench said that the cadets’ entitlements under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act should also be examined.Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Union, assured the court she would consult the concerned authorities and file a detailed affidavit. The bench also asked counsel representing the cadets to furnish written suggestions to the ASG to aid the government’s response.Emphasising that the matter should not be treated as adversarial, the court said: “There has to be an act of social justice by the Union.” It suggested the government consider group insurance on the lines of employee coverage and, where appropriate, lump-sum ex gratia relief, along with fresh medical assessments to identify rehabilitation options. If injuries make induction into the forces impossible, the bench said, the government should explore desk roles or other employment consonant with disability law norms.When informed that a proposal for enhanced cover had been mooted by the defence minister in March 2024, the bench noted that the plan was still “pending with the Union finance ministry” amid “back and forth”. An effective insurance layer, the bench said, would shift the financial burden to the insurer and ensure trainees are not left without support: “If there is an insurance cover, many things can be taken care of.”The bench recorded that the case was triggered by reports in The Indian Express earlier this month. Justice Nagarathna said she discussed the issue with Justice KV Viswanathan (who was then sharing the bench), after which the matter was placed before the Chief Justice of India, who approved suo motu cognisance and assigned it to the present bench.According to the report, nearly 500 officer cadets have been discharged from various academies, including the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA), since 1985 after incurring medical disabilities. These individuals, many of whom are still young, are now struggling with escalating medical expenses and a lack of adequate support, as the financial aid currently provided to them is meagre and often fails to cover even basic needs. At the NDA alone, around 20 cadets were discharged for medical reasons in just the past five years, between 2021 and July 2025.A central grievance of the cadets is that they are not recognised as ex-servicemen (ESM). This exclusion denies them access to the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), which provides free medical treatment at military hospitals and affiliated centres. The rationale offered is that their injuries occurred during training, before they were commissioned as officers, and hence they do not qualify for ESM status.In contrast, soldiers who suffer disabilities in comparable circumstances are recognised as ex-servicemen and entitled to healthcare benefits. For the discharged cadets, the current relief is limited to an ex gratia amount of up to ₹40,000 per month, depending on the severity of the disability. This support, however, has been flagged as grossly insufficient to meet their medical and living expenses.