NEW DELHI: In a recent ruling, the Delhi High Court has raised concerns regarding the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) handling of cases involving trainees who sustain injuries during their training but are subsequently not commissioned into the service.
The bench, comprising Justice Rekha Palli and Justice Shalinder Kaur, criticised the existing protocols, describing the situation as a “sad state of affairs.”
The court’s scrutiny was triggered by the case of Nidhi Verma, a young woman from rural Haryana whose training at the Air Force Academy was terminated. Following her injury, Verma has faced the daunting challenge of managing all current and future medical expenses with only a minimal monthly ex-gratia payment.
During the proceedings, the court demanded that the counsel representing the IAF provide the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or guidelines related to handling cases of injured trainees who are not commissioned. The court found the respondents’ explanation lacking, noting the absence of provisions for medical assistance for such individuals.
The IAF’s current policy reportedly limits medical assistance to ex-servicemen and pensioners, leaving trainees like Verma without support despite the injuries being service-related. The court expressed concern over the IAF’s reluctance to assume responsibility for injured trainees and noted that a previous inquiry had identified training deficiencies and recommended improvements.
Verma’s petition sought to overturn an order from March 1, 2012, which ended her training and cadetship. She proposed that if she could not be commissioned into the Flying Branch, she should be considered for induction into the Technical or Ground Duty Branches of the IAF. However, the IAF opposed her petition, citing her age and the fact that she did not select Ground Duty as an option during her initial application.
The court highlighted findings from a prior Court of Inquiry, which attributed Verma’s injury to service and recommended halting certain training practices that could lead to further injuries. The inquiry also criticised the existing procedures for rolling cadets and suggested incorporating more effective steps into the training regimen.
In the latest hearing, the respondents’ counsel offered Verma a monthly ex-gratia payment and additional disability award totaling approximately Rs 22,000.
Despite this, Verma argued that provisions should be made for her ongoing medical treatment related to the spinal injury sustained during her training.