ISRO Faces Wave of Resignations as Over 100 Scientists Exit
The Department of Space has tightened approval procedures for resignations after reports of more than 100 scientists and technical personnel leaving ISRO, raising concerns over the continuity of key national space missions.
BENGALURU/ NEW DELHI- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is reportedly facing a significant wave of resignations, with an estimated 100 to 120 scientists and technical personnel leaving the organisation in recent months. The reported departures have affected teams associated with several high-profile national space programmes, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, prompting the Department of Space (DoS) to introduce stricter controls on employee exits.
According to multiple media reports, a substantial number of resignations have come from major ISRO centres. Sources indicated that nearly 80 personnel resigned from the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), while around 20 scientists left the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The exact number has not been officially confirmed by the Department of Space.
Among those reported to have resigned are Victor Joseph, Project Director of the LVM-3 launch vehicle, the SpaDeX Project Director from URSC, and Aditya Rallapalli, who played a key role in mission simulations and validation work for Chandrayaan-3.
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In response to the reported resignations, the Department of Space issued an internal memorandum on July 14, 2026, directing all ISRO centres to stop routinely approving resignations or voluntary retirement requests from Group-A scientific and technical personnel working on flagship missions, including Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan, and heavy-lift launch vehicle programmes. Under the revised procedure, all such cases must now be referred to the Department of Space headquarters for final approval, along with recommendations from the respective centre directors.
The move reverses a policy introduced in 2020 that had delegated approval authority to individual centre heads. Officials believe the revised guidelines are intended to ensure continuity in strategically important missions and prevent sudden shortages of experienced personnel.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan acknowledged the departures but stated that the organisation remains capable of maintaining its programmes. He noted that while employee movement is common in large organisations, measures are being taken to ensure that critical missions continue without disruption and that responsibilities are reassigned when necessary.
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Industry observers attribute the increase in resignations to several factors, including relatively higher salaries, stock options, career growth opportunities, and greater operational flexibility offered by India’s rapidly expanding private space sector. Analysts also point to workload pressures and compensation disparities as contributing factors.
While ISRO’s overall attrition rate has historically remained relatively low, experts say the concentration of departures from mission-critical teams has drawn attention due to its potential impact on project timelines and institutional expertise.
To address manpower requirements, ISRO is simultaneously expanding recruitment and plans to induct more than 1,000 new personnel in the coming recruitment cycle.
The Department of Space has not officially confirmed the reported number of resignations. However, multiple national media outlets have reported figures ranging between 100 and 120 departures, citing official and institutional sources.
