Relief for medically invalidated cadets: Govt extends ECHS facility to them

The Central Government has approved the extension of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) facility to cadets who have been medically boarded out from service training academies due to injuries or medical disorders suffered during training. This decision is expected to provide significant relief to approximately 500 officer cadets who have been medically boarded out since 1985.

These cadets, who are invalidated from training on medical grounds attributable to or aggravated by military training, often suffer lifelong disabilities. However, they were not eligible for ECHS as they are not granted the status of ex-servicemen, a mandatory requirement. The Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the matter and sought responses from the government and armed forces.

The Defence Ministry stated that this measure is applicable to cadets who have been medically boarded out prior to completion of training and is also extendable to future similar cases. The invalided cadets will have to apply for ECHS membership, accept its rules, and avail the facility for individual affected only. The one-time subscription fee of Rs 1.20 lakh will not be charged from them.

The cadets will be entitled to free OPD services from ECHS polyclinics, avail cashless OPD/IPD/investigations in ECHS empanelled hospitals, provided they are not members of any other government health scheme. According to the Defence Ministry, while a small number of cadets annually are affected, the financial and emotional burden on their families is significant.

ECHS was launched in April 2003 for ex-servicemen and their dependents, utilising existing medical infrastructure and empanelled hospitals across the country. It has 448 polyclinics and over 3,000 empanelled medical facilities pan-India, with a total beneficiary base of approximately 63 lakh.