'Want bravehearts to be in forces': SC asks Centre to explore insurance cover possibilities of cadets disabled, injured in training

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to explore the possibility of giving insurance cover to cadets undergoing rigorous training to be commissioned officers in different military establishments to deal with any exigency related to disabilities or injuries sustained by them.

"If there is group insurance for the cadets even the department will not be burdened, it will be on the insurer. See the risk is very high. We want brave people to come into the military. But if they are not given adequate benefits they will get disheartened," bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan said.

Taking up a suo motu matter, the court issued notice to the Union government.

The court registered the suo motu matter on an article by Indian Express, highlighting the pain and sufferings undergone by the cadets due to injuries.

"We noted the article in the Indian Express. We deliberated and resolved to place it before the CJI to treat it as a suo moto writ petition. CJI has considered it placed it before this bench. We issue notice in the suo moto writ petition," the bench said.

The court asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, to seek instruction on enhancing Rs 40,000 ex-gratia amount granted to the cadets who get disabled during the training programme, to meet medical expenses.

The top court also asked the Centre to explore a scheme for the rehabilitation of these disabled candidates back into the forces, like desk jobs or any other work related to defence services, after their treatment is over.

"We want braveheart cadets to be in the forces. We don't want injuries or disability to be any kind of deterrent to these cadets, who undergo training after clearing various competitive examinations," the bench said.

The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on September 4.

On August 12, the court registered the suo motu case after the news report raised the issue of these cadets, who were once part of training at the nation’s top military institutes such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Military Academy (IMA).

The report stated around 500 officer cadets who have been medically discharged from these military institutes since 1985, due to varying degrees of disability incurred during training, and are now staring at mounting medical bills with an ex gratia monthly payment that's far short of what they need.

At the NDA alone, the report pointed out, there were around 20 such cadets who were medically discharged in just five years, between 2021 and July 2025.It pointed out such cadets were not entitled to the status of ex-servicemen (ESM), which would have made them eligible under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) for free treatment at military facilities and empanelled hospitals as their disabilities occurred during training before they get commissioned as officers.

Unlike soldiers in this category, who were entitled to ESM status, all that these officer cadets got an ex gratia payment of up to Rs 40,000 per month, depending on the extent of disabilities, which fell far short of basic needs.