Can Cadets Boarded Out Due To Training Injury Be Treated As Ex-Servicemen For Job Reservation? Supreme Court Asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Union Government whether military cadets who are boarded out due to injury or disability during training can be treated as ex-servicemen for the purpose of availing reservation in government and semi-government jobs.

“During the course of submissions, one of the aspects that was discussed was as to whether the boarded-out cadets could also be considered as ex-servicemen or ex-military personnel for the purpose of having the benefit of reservation for such persons in various governmental and semi government jobs and posts. Learned ASG to seek instructions on this aspect, so that the scope of the exploratory personnel could also include the boarded out, since the majority of them are in the 20s”, the Court stated.

A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a suo motu case concerning the difficulties faced by such cadets.

During the hearing, Amicus Curiae Senior Advocate Rekha Palli submitted that around 80 to 90 percent of such cadets can be rehabilitated but they are not being given employment. She said that they are also denied reservation because they are not granted ex-serviceman status. She further stated that about 10 percent of the cadets are severely affected and may not even be in a position to move and would require assistance.

Palli told the Court that the total number of such cadets is around 2,000 to 2,500. She said that despite this, disability pension is not being granted and the annual budget required is about Rs. 1.2 crore. She also submitted that Air Force, Navy, and Army have recommended to grant disability pension and treat them as ex-servicemen.

Additional Solicitor General Venkataraman submitted that the Ministry of Finance is willing to work on rehabilitation and spend money, but the process is still at a nascent stage. He sought time to come back with a structured proposal on two aspects: the methodology for reassessment of disability and the broader issue of pension and benefits.

He stated that the issue is not merely about financial outlay but that equating trainees with commissioned officers would be unfair. He also submitted that the Seventh Pay Commission has expressed reservations earlier regarding grant of disability pension to boarded out cadets and submitted that the matter could be examined by the Eighth Pay Commission, which has been constituted.

On the issue of rehabilitation, the ASG said that the Ministry of Defence is already working on proposals and the Finance Ministry will coordinate.

Justice Nagarathna emphasised that the matter should not remain in limbo. She suggested that boarded-out cadets, most of whom are in their 20s, should be considered for inclusion within the existing framework of ex-military personnel so that they can access reservation benefits. She also suggested that reassessment of disability should be undertaken to determine whether some of them can be given alternative employment depending on their capacity.

The bench requested the amicus to file a comprehensive note suggesting ways to improve the status of such cadets and listed the matter for further hearing on April 27.

Background

The suo motu proceedings concern officer cadets who are discharged after suffering injuries during military training. The Supreme Court has previously noted that such cadets are boarded out without any recognised status and therefore do not receive the facilities available to soldier recruits discharged due to injury.

The Amicus Curiae had raised concerns that similar recommendations had been made by committees over the past decade but had not been implemented. She had suggested measures relating to medical assistance, financial support, education, resettlement and insurance, including recognising such cadets as ex-servicemen or creating a separate programme for them.

The Court had earlier noted that the number of cadets boarded out during training is small, with about 40 cadets affected each year, and observed that the financial impact of extending benefits to them would be minimal.

On December 16, 2025, the Court granted the Union Government time till January 20, 2026 to complete the process of considering recommendations for rehabilitating such cadets after Bhati informed the Court that the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force had given positive recommendations after examining the issue. The government had stated that the Ministry of Defence, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, would take a final view and formulate a scheme.

Thereafter, on January 20, 2026, the Court finally granted another six weeks' time to the Union to taken a final decision on the recommendations.

Last month, the Court criticised the Union government for failing to take a decision on extending monetary benefits to the boarded out military cadets, and gave the Union Defence Ministry and the Finance Ministry two weeks to take a decision on the recommendations of the military chiefs, warning that it may summon the Defence Secretary and the Finance Secretary if no progress is made.

Case no. – SMW(C) No. 6/2025

Case Title – In Re: Cadets Disabled In Military Training Struggle