Over 100 Scientists Quit, Centre Steps In: Inside The ISRO Brain Drain Hitting India's Space Missions

Published 16 July 2026 · science

Over 100 Scientists Quit, Centre Steps In: Inside The ISRO Brain Drain Hitting India's Space Missions Published By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 09:15 IST

Over 100 Scientists Quit, Centre Steps In: Inside The ISRO Brain Drain Hitting India's Space Missions Published By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 09:15 IST DoS has issued a memorandum to tighten the rules governing voluntary retirement and resignations for scientists associated with Gaganyaan and other critical national missions Rapid Read According to the DoS, the increase in resignation requests has begun affecting the implementation of projects of national importance. File image India’s ambitious space programme has entered a crucial phase, with missions ranging from the human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan to advanced satellite launches and planetary exploration. But even as these projects gather pace, the Department of Space (DoS) has moved to stem a growing outflow of experienced scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), raising questions about talent retention in one of the country’s most prestigious scientific institutions. According to a report by The Times of India, at least 100 scientists have resigned from ISRO in the past few months, prompting the DoS to issue a fresh internal memorandum on July 14 that significantly tightens the rules governing voluntary retirement and resignations for scientists associated with Gaganyaan and other critical national missions. What Has Changed? The memorandum, as per the report, directs that requests for resignation or voluntary retirement from Group ‘A’ Scientific and Technical personnel working on Gaganyaan and other important missions should no longer be accepted as a routine administrative process.

Earlier, directors of various ISRO centres had the authority to approve such requests. Under the revised guidelines, that power has been withdrawn. Instead, all resignation and voluntary retirement requests from scientists involved in key programmes will require detailed scrutiny and final approval at the Department of Space level. The move effectively centralises decision-making in an attempt to retain critical manpower for strategically important missions. While employee attrition is not new at ISRO, the recent resignations are said to have disproportionately affected flagship programmes, particularly Gaganyaan, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission. According to the DoS, the increase in resignation requests has begun affecting the implementation of projects of national importance. Scientists working on such missions possess specialised expertise that is difficult to replace quickly, making sudden exits a potential risk to mission timelines and continuity. Why Are Scientists Leaving? Neither the Department of Space nor ISRO has officially stated why the recent wave of resignations has occurred. However, a WION report said that the rapid expansion of India’s private space ecosystem is widely seen as one of the key factors. Following the opening up of the space sector to private players, startups and aerospace companies are increasingly seeking experienced ISRO scientists for leadership and technical roles. The government’s own push to involve industry in satellite projects and transfer launch vehicle technologies has further increased demand for skilled space professionals outside the organisation.