On March 1, 2024, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, after meeting families of officer cadets who suffered severe disabilities during training, approved a proposal to raise their monthly ex gratia by at least 50%. The meeting also included Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and other senior defence officials.
The plan, which requires an additional allocation of ₹11.43 crore annually, was expected to provide significant relief to cadets discharged on medical grounds before joining active service. However, even after 17 months, the proposal remains stuck in bureaucratic delays between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance, with no final decision in sight.
Families of affected cadets have expressed disappointment, pointing out that despite the Defence Minister’s approval, the file has not moved forward and continues to “gather dust” in government offices.