ISRO Tightens Exit Rules for Scientists on Key Missions Amid Resignation Spate
The Department of Space (DoS) has tightened exit rules for scientists and engineers working on India's most prominent space missions, following a wave of resignations from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). A memorandum issued on July 14 mandates that all requests for voluntary retirement or resignation from personnel associated with the Gaganyaan programme and other major projects must now be referred to the DoS for a final decision. This reverses a 2020 delegation that allowed ISRO centre directors to approve such requests independently.
The order explicitly states that the recent "spate of requests for voluntary retirement and resignation" from Group 'A' scientific and technical staff is "severely impacting implementation of projects of national importance." ISRO centres have been instructed not to accept such requests routinely until the missions are completed. Even cases involving scientists up to the Scientist/Engineer-SG level require referral to the DoS with recommendations from centre directors.
Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh downplayed concerns of a manpower crisis, stating, "As many go, that many will come… The team is large — nobody is going away — they come and go. The memo was issued so that decisions can be taken at a much more mature level."
Data presented in Parliament earlier this year shows that ISRO has a sanctioned strength of 18,142 employees, with around 2,613 posts vacant. Of these, 1,636 vacancies are in scientific and technical positions. Recruitment for 1,449 posts is underway, expected to be completed by October 2026.
However, the recent resignations are concentrated in strategically important centres. Reports indicate nearly 80 scientists have left the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru and around 20 from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Several senior mission leaders have resigned, highlighting the challenge of replacing experienced personnel.
The memorandum has drawn criticism from within India's space community. While scientists remain free to resign under service rules, critics argue that making exits more difficult does not address underlying reasons for leaving, such as better salaries, faster career progression, opportunities to lead ambitious programmes, and access to stock options in private companies. They contend that retaining talent requires more than administrative controls, especially as modern space programmes depend on highly specialised expertise that cannot be quickly replaced.
ISRO's annual report states that recruitment is progressing and hundreds of project posts have been regularised. Yet the DoS decision suggests concern that institutional knowledge accumulated over years on missions like Gaganyaan cannot be easily replicated.
