The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the problems faced by cadets who become disabled during training and are discharged from military institutions on medical grounds.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, the country's apex court, has taken suo moto cognizance of the difficulties faced by cadets who become disabled during training at top military training institutions such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). These cadets are discharged from the institutions on medical grounds, which leads to them facing several serious problems.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan will hear the matter on Monday. This initiative by the Supreme Court raises hopes for relief for many such cadets who have been struggling for years to resolve their problems.
How the Case Started
This case was registered on August 12, 2025, when a media report highlighted the difficulties of cadets who became disabled after being injured during training. The report stated that since 1985, approximately 500 cadets have been discharged from military institutions on medical grounds.
According to the media report, these cadets were once part of training at the country's top military training institutions. During training, they suffered serious injuries, due to which they were no longer fully capable. Despite this, they are not being given adequate assistance at the government level.
Problems of the Cadets
These disabled cadets mainly face three serious problems:
- Increasing Medical Expenses: After being injured during training, these cadets are bearing the burden of continuously increasing medical expenses. Lakhs of rupees are spent on special treatment, medicines, and rehabilitation.
- Low Monthly Ex-Gratia Amount: According to the rules, they are given an ex-gratia amount of only up to a maximum of ₹40,000 per month. This amount is quite less compared to their increasing expenses.
- Non-Grant of Ex-Serviceman (ESM) Status: If they get Ex-Serviceman (ESM) status, they would be entitled to free treatment in military hospitals and recognized hospitals under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). But according to current rules, these cadets do not get this status.
How Cadets Risked Their Lives During Training
Since 1985, approximately 500 cadets have trained at top military institutions such as the NDA and IMA. These training programs are extremely physically and mentally challenging.
- High-pressure training sessions
- Difficult physical activities and running
- Weapons training and field exercises
During these activities, many cadets became victims of serious injuries and became disabled. Despite this, they were discharged from the institutions, and government assistance remained limited.
Why the Supreme Court Hearing is Important
The Supreme Court taking cognizance of this matter shows that the court is seriously looking at the difficulties of cadets injured during training. This step will be important in providing justice to the cadets. It is possible that the Court may issue guidelines for increasing the ex-gratia amount or granting ESM status. This will also provide better protection and financial assistance to cadets who are injured during training in the future.
Since 1985, approximately 500 cadets have been discharged from military institutions due to becoming disabled during training. Now, these people are struggling between increasing medical expenses and a low ex-gratia amount.
