ISRO Scientist Resignation New Rules: After the recent resignation of more than 100 ISRO scientists, the government has implemented new rules regarding resignation and VRS of ISRO scientists. Know what changed during the Gaganyaan mission and what will be its impact.
ISRO Resignation Policy: India’s space program is currently facing a new challenge. The central government has taken strict administrative steps amid reports of increasing resignations of experienced scientists and technical experts from ISRO, the country’s most important scientific institute. Now the requests for resignation or voluntary retirement (VRS) of scientists associated with major projects of national importance including Gaganyaan will not be decided at the local level. Every case will be sent directly to the Department of Space (DoS) headquarters for final approval. Know what is there in the rule in lieu of resignations of scientists?
What is the new instruction of the government regarding the resignations of ISRO scientists?
According to the internal order issued on July 14, 2026, resignations and VRS applications of Group-A scientific and technical employees of ISRO, who are associated with Gaganyaan or other important missions, will no longer be accepted under the normal procedure. Directors of all ISRO centers have been instructed to send such cases with their recommendations to the headquarters, where the final decision will be taken. The government believes that the sudden departure of experienced officers can affect both the timeline and quality of major space missions.
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Why is the number of resignations of scientists increasing?
The rapid expansion of private space companies in recent months has increased the demand for experienced ISRO scientists. Due to better salary, faster career growth, modern work culture and more opportunities, many experts are moving to the private sector. According to sources, about 100 to 120 scientists have left the institute in the last one year. These include senior officials associated with important projects like Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-3 and SpaDeX.
Just stopping resignations is not enough
ISRO chief V Narayanan has called this new order an administrative procedure, the aim of which is to protect important projects from sudden loss. However, experts believe that merely tightening the rules will not provide a permanent solution to the problem. If the institute has to retain talented scientists for a long time, then there will be improvements in salary, promotion, research facilities and work environment.
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Why is the strengthening of ISRO important?
India’s private space industry is growing rapidly, but its strong foundation has been laid by ISRO. The responsibility of development of new technologies, human space missions, deep space research and future strategic projects still rests on the shoulders of ISRO. In such a situation, the retention of experienced scientists in the institute is considered very important not only for the organization but also for the space future of the country.