New Medical Benefits for Cadets Discharged Due to Disabilities

Medical Support for Disabled Cadets

Military cadets who have been discharged for medical reasons due to disabilities incurred during their training will now have access to medical services under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme. This change was reported on Friday.

Previously, these cadets were not eligible for the scheme as they did not hold ex-servicemen status. They will now be entitled to free out-patient department services at designated polyclinics and cashless treatment at participating hospitals, as per reports from a media outlet.

A notification regarding this has been sent by the ex-servicemen welfare division of the defense ministry to the Chief of Defence Staff and the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The defense ministry has confirmed that the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme will be provided at no cost to cadets who sustain disabilities during their training. Unlike ex-servicemen, these cadets will not be required to pay the one-time subscription fee of Rs 1.2 lakh.

However, it is important to note that this benefit is exclusive to the cadets themselves and does not extend to their families, according to reports.

This announcement follows a Supreme Court inquiry that sought responses from the Union government and armed forces regarding the welfare of cadets who have been disabled during military training.

The court's involvement was prompted by an investigation revealing that efforts to enhance welfare benefits for these cadets had been hindered by bureaucratic obstacles for over a year.

Since 1985, approximately 500 officer cadets have been medically discharged due to disabilities acquired during training. Lacking ex-servicemen status, they have only received ex-gratia payments of up to Rs 40,000 monthly, depending on their disability level.

This financial support has proven inadequate for them and their caregivers, especially given the increasing medical costs they face, as highlighted in interviews with affected cadets and their families.