17 July,2026 02:39 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/X
The Department of Space (DoS) has tightened the rules governing resignations and voluntary retirement of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists and engineers working on mission-critical projects, amid reports that more than 100 personnel have left the country's premier space agency in recent months.
The move is aimed at ensuring continuity in strategically important programmes, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, future lunar exploration projects and advanced satellite missions.
In a memorandum issued this week, the Department of Space directed major ISRO centres not to routinely accept resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group 'A' scientific and technical personnel associated with national missions.
The memorandum said the recent increase in exit requests has the potential to affect the execution of key projects.
"Of late, it is noticed that there has been spate of requests for voluntary retirement and resignation from Group 'A' Scientific/ Technical personnel of ISRO including those associated with the prestigious Gaganyaan and other important missions/ projects severely impacting the implementation of projects of national importance," the memorandum stated.
It further added: "In view of this, it has been decided that voluntary retirement and resignation requests from Scientific & Technical personnel associated with the Gaganyaan and other important Mission/ Projects may not be accepted as a matter of routine."
Under the revised procedure, all resignation and voluntary retirement requests from scientists and engineers working on critical missions must now be forwarded to the Department of Space in New Delhi, along with detailed recommendations from the respective centre directors, for a final decision.
The directive has been circulated to major ISRO establishments, including the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.
The latest order marks a departure from guidelines introduced in November 2020, which had authorised directors of ISRO centres and unit heads to approve resignations and voluntary retirement requests for personnel up to the rank of Scientist/Engineer-SG.
According to reports, the new memorandum also instructs centre directors to avoid approving exit requests from personnel involved in strategically important projects until the completion of their assignments.
The policy aims to retain experienced scientists whose expertise is considered vital for ongoing national missions.
Responding to concerns over the reported increase in resignations, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan acknowledged that employees had left the organisation but described staff turnover as a normal feature of large institutions.
He said the revised policy is intended to retain experienced personnel while ensuring that key national missions are not affected by sudden departures.
While the Department of Space has not officially disclosed the number of resignations, media reports have estimated that between 100 and 120 scientists and technical experts have left ISRO over the past year.
The reported attrition has affected several of ISRO's major research and development centres.
According to reports, the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru has witnessed nearly 80 resignations, while the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram has reportedly seen at least 20 scientists leave the organisation.
Some reports have also indicated that scientists associated with flagship programmes, including Chandrayaan-3, the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) and the Gaganyaan mission, have moved to opportunities in India's expanding private space sector.
Industry observers attribute the trend to higher salaries, greater flexibility and wider career opportunities being offered by private space companies.
Official records indicate that ISRO has faced employee attrition over several years.
Data presented in Parliament earlier this year showed that the organisation's scientific and technical workforce continues to operate below its sanctioned strength, with more than 1,600 vacancies yet to be filled.
Historical records also indicate that nearly 700 employees resigned from ISRO between 2012 and 2024, while a significant number of newly recruited personnel left the organisation between 2004 and 2007.
Despite the recent departures, ISRO has stated that responsibilities are being reassigned internally and that flagship missions, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, remain on schedule.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI)
