Delhi HC seeks expert opinion from AIIMS on plea of NDA candidate declared medically unfit to join IAF

New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has sought an expert opinion from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi (AIIMS) on a plea of an NDA candidate who has been declared medically unfit to join the upcoming course commencing on July 2, 2025.
The High Court has directed the AIIMS to constitute a medical board and asked the petitioner to appear before it for examination on June 20. The petitioner, through his mother, has challenged the decision of the Air Force Central Medical Establishment declaring him unfit for enrolment in the Indian Air Force and the Tri-Services.
During the medical test, the petitioner was diagnosed with 'haemoglobinopathies (Sickle cell disease, Beta Thalassaemia: Major, Intermedia, Minor, Trait and Alpha Thalassaemia, etc.). The Division bench of Justices Parthiba M Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta issues notice to the Central government and other respondents.
The High Court has directed to file an affidavit giving the reasoning for declaring the Petitioner as an unfit candidate by the next date of hearing. The Court during the hearing on Wednesday considered the Appeal Board's decision, and said that there is no clear reasoning given in the same.
"Considering this position, let a medical board be appointed by AIIMS, to give an expert opinion to this Court on the candidature of the Petitioner, considering the ineligibility clause," the High Court ordered on June 18.
The matter has been listed for hearing on June 25 before vacation bench. Petitioner has sought issuance of an order directing the Respondents to admit him into the National Defence Academy (NDA) for the session commencing on July 2, 2025.
The Petitioner has challenged the two letters of March 18, 2025 and May 22, 2025, issued by Air Force Central Medical Establishment through its Commanding Officer, by which the Petitioner has been declared unfit for enrolment in the Indian Air Force, as also the Tri Services.
The case of the Petitioner is that he was selected for enrolment in the Indian Air Force. It is stated that when the medical test was undertaken by the medical board, he was found unfit on the ground that he was diagnosed with 'haemoglobinopathies (HbE Trait).
The Petitioner had stood at rank 266 in the NDA examination. The Petitioner was declared unfit through letter of March 18, 2025, for enrolment in the Tri Services.
The Petitioner had appealed against this initial decision to the Appeal Board. The said board also rejected the Petitioner's candidature vide letter dated May 22, 2025. (ANI)