The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is facing a significant challenge as it grapples with a recent wave of resignations from its key missions, including the prestigious Gaganyaan program. According to sources, at least 100 scientists and engineers have quit in the past few months, a concerning trend that has prompted the Department of Space (DoS) to take action. This exodus, while a small fraction of ISRO's overall workforce, has come from strategically crucial centers, raising alarm bells within the organization.
The affected centers include the URSC and VSSC, which are pivotal to ISRO's operations. The URSC, with 1,339 employees, and VSSC, the largest center with 4,577 personnel, have seen a substantial number of departures. Notably, these departures include key personnel like Victor Joseph, the LVM-3 project director, and a young scientist who played a crucial role in the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The memorandum issued by the DoS highlights the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the impact of these resignations on critical projects.
The memorandum further underscores the concern by stating that the resignations of Group 'A' scientific and technical personnel, particularly those involved in Gaganyaan and other significant missions, are causing severe disruptions. To address this, the DoS has tightened rules on voluntary retirement and resignations, instructing center directors not to accept such requests until the completion of these projects. This decision reverses a previous administrative change, where center directors had the authority to approve such requests.
ISRO's history with attrition is not new, but the recent wave of departures has sparked concern. Between 2004 and 2007, nearly half of the agency's new recruits quit, and between 2012 and 2024, around 700 employees resigned. Despite ongoing recruitment efforts, the DoS order reveals the complexity of replacing experienced scientists working on national missions. The organization's 2025-26 annual report indicates advanced recruitment for scientific and technical posts, but the challenge remains to retain and stabilize key personnel in these critical missions.
In conclusion, the ISRO's recent resignations crisis highlights the delicate balance between attracting talent and retaining experienced scientists in the face of competition from the private space sector. The DoS's intervention is a necessary step to ensure the continuity of critical projects, but it also underscores the need for a comprehensive strategy to address the underlying issues causing this attrition.
