Welfare of Disabled Military Cadets: A Call for Bureaucratic Empathy and Systemic Reform
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance (Judiciary - Suo Motu Cognizance); Social Justice (Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Governance & Social Justice): Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability; Role of civil services in a democracy; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration; Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance; Probity in Governance; Compassion.
Key Highlights from the News
The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the plight of cadets boarded out from military academies due to serious injuries sustained during training, based on a media report.
Following the Supreme Court's intervention, the government promptly acted by granting these cadets medical benefits on par with ex-servicemen.
The article strongly criticizes the heartless and inflexible attitude shown by the bureaucracy towards those injured while preparing to serve the nation.
The real problem is often not the absence of laws and regulations, but the lack of flexibility and empathy that officials should show when implementing them.
The government's reactive approach of taking action only when there are media reports or court interventions must change. Instead, there should be a proactive governance system.
Citing Chanakya, the article reminds that ensuring the welfare of soldiers is the government's moral sanction (moral responsibility).
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