ISRO issues memo to curb exodus of scientists and engineers from Gaganyaan and other key missions

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Won’t accept any request for voluntary retirement or resignation from scientific and technical personnel of Group ‘A’ associated with the Gaganyaan, or other important missions or projects till their realisation

Updated - July 16, 2026 04:50 pm IST - BENGALURU

A file photo of the launch of PSLV-C54/EOS-06 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

With about 100 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) personnel quitting the space agency in various centres across the country, the Department of Space (DoS) has issued a memorandum to curb the exodus of scientists and engineers who are working in critical missions of national importance, like the Gaganyaan.

In a memorandum issued on July 14, 2026, signed by S.R. Rajashekar, Joint Secretary (Personnel), Department of Space, states, “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 addressed to Directors of ISRO Centers and Heads of Units has asked them to address this issue and not to accept any requests for voluntary retirement or resignation from scientific and technical personnel of Group ‘A’ associated with the Gaganyaan or other important missions or projects till their realization.

“It has been decided that voluntary retirement and resignation requests from scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other important mission/projects may not be accepted as a matter of routine,” the memorandum said.

It further said that if requests for voluntary retirement and resignation are received from scientific, technical personnel, even of and below the rank of scientists/engineers-SG it may be sent to the DoS with clear recommendations of Centres/Heads of Units for final decision.

Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh downplayed suggestions of a manpower crisis. “I believe Mr. Narayanan (ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan) has made a statement on that. As many go, that many will come - the project shouldn’t suffer. 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. ISRO has a culture of working in continuity, with even retired personnel involved in projects. It is a different kind of work culture there. For instance the former chief S Somanath worked closely on Gaganyaan. Now he’s not there. Does that mean work on Gaganyan stops?”

During the last budget session of the Parliament, Mr. Singh on February 11, 2026, in a reply to a question on the details of the sanctioned, in-position and vacant positions in ISRO, said that in that the overall sanctioned strength (Science and Technology and Administration) was 18,142 of this there was a vacancy of 2,613 personnel and that action has been initiated to recruit 1,449 personnel.

In the Science and Technology category there was a vacancy of 1636 personnel and the recruitment process was in progress to hire 1261 personnel. In the Administration category the sanction strength is 4034 and there were 3057 personnel working.

The Minister in his reply said there is an overall vacancy of 14.4% and recruitment is in progress to fill 8% of the vacancies and recruitment action is yet to be initiated for the remaining 5%.

“For 1449 posts recruitment actions are in progress and are in various phases. The department ensures that the same are anticipated to be completed by October, 2026. With respect to the remaining 933 posts, recruitment actions are being initiated and filling of vacancies is dependent on the outcomes of the selection processes,” the Minister said in his reply.

The Gaganyaan mission is running behind schedule. The HLVM3 G1/ OM1 mission, which is the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan, was scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2026. However, it has been delayed.

(With inputs from Jacob Koshy in Delhi)

Published - July 16, 2026 10:48 am IST

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