Why ISRO has tightened resignation rules for scientists working on Gaganyaan

Dubai: India’s space programme is entering one of its most ambitious phases. With the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission nearing key milestones, advanced satellite launches planned and future planetary missions in the pipeline, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for a defining decade.

But even as the country’s space ambitions grow, ISRO is confronting a challenge that has little to do with rockets or satellites: keeping its experienced scientists from leaving.

The Department of Space (DoS) has tightened rules governing voluntary retirement and resignations after what officials described as a surge in exit requests from scientists working on Gaganyaan and other nationally important projects.

According to a July 14 memorandum accessed by NDTV, resignation and voluntary retirement requests from Group ‘A’ scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other key missions should no longer be accepted as a matter of routine.

The order says the recent increase in resignations has begun “severely impacting the implementation of projects of national importance.” Instead of being approved at the ISRO centre level, such requests must now be forwarded to the Department of Space, along with recommendations from the respective centre directors, for a final decision.

The directive effectively reverses a decentralisation introduced in 2020, when directors of major ISRO centres were authorised to approve resignations and voluntary retirement requests from scientists up to a certain level.

While ISRO has not officially explained the recent resignations, experts point to several factors:

The policy change comes amid reports that more than 100 scientists have resigned from ISRO in recent months.

According to The Times of India, the largest number of departures has been reported from Bengaluru’s UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram—two of ISRO’s most critical establishments responsible for satellites and launch vehicles.

Among those reported to have left is Victor Joseph T, who headed the LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk III) project at VSSC. The LVM3 is India’s most powerful operational launch vehicle and is expected to carry astronauts during the Gaganyaan mission.

While ISRO has not officially disclosed reasons for the departures, the timing has raised concerns because many of the scientists involved possess decades of specialised expertise that cannot be replaced quickly.

Many observers believe the resignations reflect the rapid transformation of India’s space sector.

The government opened the sector to private participation in 2020, allowing startups and private companies to build satellites, launch vehicles and other space technologies. The Indian Space Policy introduced in 2023 accelerated that shift by encouraging greater industry participation.

The result has been a flourishing private ecosystem.

India now has more than 400 registered space startups, which together have attracted around $500 million in investments, including nearly $150 million this year alone.

For many experienced ISRO scientists, these companies offer opportunities that were once unavailable — leadership positions, faster decision-making, better financial incentives, stock options and the chance to build new technologies outside a government structure.

Ironically, the same reforms designed to strengthen India’s space ecosystem may also be increasing competition for ISRO’s most experienced talent.

Replacing a scientist is not as simple as hiring another engineer.

Many senior ISRO personnel spend years, and often decades, developing expertise in launch vehicles, propulsion systems, satellite integration, navigation and mission planning.

Programmes such as Gaganyaan require highly specialised teams that understand every stage of spacecraft development, testing and human-rating standards. Sudden departures can disrupt continuity, delay projects and leave younger teams without experienced mentors.

That institutional knowledge is one of ISRO’s greatest strengths—and also one of its hardest assets to replace.

The talent challenge comes at a time when ISRO is already dealing with technical setbacks.

The agency’s reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), long regarded as its workhorse, has suffered two mission failures within the past year, adding pressure as India prepares for a packed launch schedule.

At the same time, Gaganyaan remains one of the country’s highest-profile scientific programmes. The mission aims to send Indian astronauts into space aboard an indigenous spacecraft, placing India among a select group of nations capable of independent human spaceflight.

Maintaining experienced teams is therefore critical not only for meeting mission timelines but also for ensuring safety and reliability.

The new guidelines may slow the departure of scientists working on sensitive projects, but experts believe administrative controls alone are unlikely to address the underlying issue.

Former ISRO officials quoted in media reports have argued that long-term retention will depend on broader factors such as career progression, leadership opportunities, workplace culture and professional recognition, alongside competitive compensation.

India’s expanding private space industry is widely viewed as a sign of the country’s growing technological strength. Yet that success is also creating a new challenge for the organisation that laid its foundations.

As India pursues increasingly complex missions — from human spaceflight to deep-space exploration — its ability to retain experienced scientists may prove just as important as its ability to build rockets.