India, Aug. 29 -- The defence ministry on Friday said officer cadets boarded out of military training academies on medical grounds will be eligible to apply for a popular health scheme for ex-servicemen that will allow them to undergo free treatment at a raft of service facilities, government hospitals, polyclinics and empanelled private hospitals, benefitting hundreds of such cadets whose dreams to serve the armed forces were cut short by injuries sustained during training.

"Reaffirming its commitment to the dignity and well-being of the armed forces, the government has approved the extension of Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) to officer cadets who are invalidated from training on medical grounds attributable to or aggra...