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SC Directs Health Ministry to Design No-Fault Compensation Scheme for AEFI, Shifting from Fault-Based Liability

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
13 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:Over 1,100 deaths219 crore doses92 low- and middle-income countries
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaMinistry of Health and Family Welfare
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court, in the Rachana Gangu case, directed the Health Ministry to create a no-fault compensation scheme for serious Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).

2.This ruling marks a shift from fault-based liability to a no-fault system, rejecting the government's previous stance that citizens could sue manufacturers.

3.The directive builds on the principle of 'duty of care' for the state when endorsing medical interventions for public good, setting a precedent for future vaccination programs.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court has mandated the Ministry of Health to establish a no-fault compensation scheme for serious adverse events following immunization (AEFI), a landmark shift in public health liability. This addresses a critical gap in India's welfare state framework, ensuring state accountability in mass vaccination drives like COVID-19 and the upcoming HPV campaign.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Case NameRachana Gangu
Related CaseJacob Puliyel (2022)
Vaccine ComplicationVaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT)
Total Doses Administered219 crore
Reported Deaths Post-VaccinationOver 1,100
Countries Covered by COVAX Facility92 low- and middle-income countries

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Case Name: Rachana Gangu
  • ›Related Case: Jacob Puliyel (2022)
  • ›Target this Data: Over 1,100 deaths reported post-219 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Shift from 'fault-based liability' to 'no-fault compensation' in public health.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which ministry has been directed by the Supreme Court to design a no-fault compensation scheme for vaccine injuries?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's directive on vaccine injury compensation:

1. It directs the establishment of a no-fault compensation scheme for serious Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI).

2. The ruling is based on the adjudication that specific vaccines caused the injuries in the Rachana Gangu case.

3. The Court rejected the government's position that aggrieved citizens could sue vaccine manufacturers in civil court as impractical.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, approximately how many deaths were reported following vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic across 219 crore doses administered?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary significance of the Supreme Court's directive to establish a no-fault compensation scheme for AEFI?

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