SC to govt: Bring policy for rehab of cadets injured during training

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NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said on Monday that defence services cadets who are not inducted into the force because of injury during training should not be left high and dry as it would dishearten people joining the forces and favoured that the govt extend a helping hand bearing their medical expenditure and also rehabilitating them in other jobs. The apex court took suo motu cognisance and issued notice to the Centre and chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force seeking their response on how to help them out. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan said the govt should consider granting insurance cover to all cadets joining training so that financial assistance could be provided in case of injury or death during training. It also suggested that the injured cadets could be given desk jobs with the defence forces or they could be rehabilitated in alternative jobs after requisite training. It said helping such injured cadets is an act of social justice and asked the govt to come up with a scheme by Sept 4. It will be difficult to accommodate injured cadets within force: ASG to SC Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Centre, submitted that she will have a discussion with the relevant authorities regarding the issue and come up with a solution on the next date of hearing. She, however, told the court that the military does not have non-combatant roles even for desk jobs and hinted that it would be difficult to accommodate injured cadets within the force. “During the discussion, this court pointed out whether there could be an increase in medical expenditure payable per month to the cadets. Whether there could be insurance coverage for the trainee cadets to beat any such contingencies of death or disablement. Whether there could be a reassessment of the injured cadets after their treatment is completed, and thereafter any suitable training could be given to them so that they could be rehabilitated. Further, the rights that such candidates have under the Disabilities Act could also be examined by the respondents,” court said.Lawyers appearing for injured cadets told the bench that there was no insurance scheme for them but a proposal to cover the cadets under ex-servicemen contributory health scheme is pending.