ISRO changes resignation policy as more than 100 scientists reportedly exit
The Department of Space (DoS) has tightened the rules around resignations and voluntary retirement for scientists working on some of ISRO’s biggest projects. The move comes after reports suggested that more than 100 scientists have left the space agency in recent months, including people associated with missions such as Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-3, and SpaDeX. 
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According to an internal memorandum dated July 14, resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group ‘A’ scientific and technical personnel working on Gaganyaan and other important national missions will no longer be accepted routinely. Instead, such requests will now have to be sent to the Department of Space for a final decision. Also Read: India’s FIRST private orbital rocket set to launch this month: All about Vikram-1
The latest order also reverses an administrative change introduced in 2020, under which directors of ISRO centres had the authority to approve resignations and voluntary retirement requests for scientists up to the Scientist/Engineer-SG level. Also Read: ISRO launches Indian Space Hackathon 2026: How students can apply and win internships
Why ISRO changed the rules
The new directive comes at a time when ISRO is reportedly seeing a higher number of exits from experienced scientists. While the DoS has not officially confirmed the number, multiple reports suggest that between 100 and 120 scientists have resigned over the past few months.
The U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru is said to have recorded nearly 80 resignations, while around 20 scientists have reportedly left the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. Reports also suggest that more resignation requests are currently being processed, which means the final number could be higher.
The internal memorandum states that the increasing number of resignation requests has started affecting projects of national importance. Because of that, ISRO centres have now been instructed to forward such requests to the DoS instead of approving them at the centre level.
Several senior scientists have reportedly left
Among those who reportedly resigned is Victor Joseph, who headed the LVM3 project, the launch vehicle expected to play a key role in the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
Another notable departure is Aditya Rallapalli, one of the scientists associated with Chandrayaan-3. He led the simulation team that generated nearly 25 terabytes of mission data through more than one lakh simulations, helping validate the spacecraft’s lunar landing sequence. Reports also mention the exit of the SpaDeX Project Director from URSC.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan acknowledged that scientists have been leaving the organisation but said such changes are part of every institution. He added that the focus is to ensure important projects continue without disruption and responsibilities are handed over whenever someone exits.
Startups becoming an attractive option
The resignations also come as India’s private space sector continues to expand. Since the government opened the space sector to private players in 2020 and introduced the Indian Space Policy in 2023, several space startups have grown rapidly.
According to reports, some former ISRO scientists have joined private companies working in the space sector. India now has more than 400 registered space startups, which have collectively attracted investments worth around $500 million. Nearly $150 million of that investment has come in 2025 alone. Companies such as Pixxel, Dhruva Space, Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, and Bellatrix Aerospace are among the prominent players in the sector.
Recruitment underway as major missions continue
The timing of these resignations is significant because ISRO is preparing for several high-profile missions over the next few years. These include Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, and Mangalyaan-2.
The agency has also dealt with a few recent setbacks. Reports note that the PSLV, often referred to as ISRO’s workhorse launcher, suffered two mission failures within a year. At the same time, ISRO’s latest annual report says recruitment is underway for more than 1,050 scientific, technical and administrative positions, along with a restructuring exercise aimed at strengthening its workforce.
