Over 100 ISRO Scientists Resigned: Why Government Is Tightening Resignation Rules Amid Gaganyaan Mission

The Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission is India's biggest achieving mission. Amid the historic launch - a challenge has emerged. Reports suggest that more than 100 scientists have resigned from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), igniting fresh concerns about the loss of the experiment.

Responding to this - Department of Space (DoS) has introduced stricter rules for scientists working on important national missions. The aim ensures that key projects are not affected if experts leave before completing their work.

Government Tightens Resignation Process

In the latest development, the Department of Space issued an internal memorandum on July 14, asking all ISRO centres to carefully review resignation and voluntary retirement applications from scientists working on strategic missions.

Based on the new process, resignations from scientists working on key missions will not be approved immediately, rather there will be a process where the project director will check if their exit will impact the ongoing missions. If Yes! The scientists will have to stay till the end of the key projects before they are allowed to leave.

Why the Government Is Concerned

The tension raises after the report of over 100 scientists associated with major ISRO programmes have resigned recently. It must be noted that the scientists were reportedly working on projects such as the Gaganyaan mission, future Chandrayaan programmes, advanced launch vehicles and several satellite developments.

No doubt that replacing the current scientist with the new one is a load as the key projects being developed for years now, a new member will have to start from square one and the training sessions itself will require time and deep knowledge.

Gaganyaan Mission at a Crucial Stage

The timing of the exit is the issue. The resignations has made the situation sensitive as the Gaganyaan mission is its crucial phase as India is on it way for its first human spaceflight after successful completion of several crew escape tests and astronaut training exercise.

In the coming months, ISRO is expected to focus on:

• Uncrewed demonstration flights
• Final system testing and validation
• Human-rating of launch vehicles
• Astronaut readiness and mission preparations

Any shortage of experienced scientists during this stage could create challenges for the mission timeline.

Why Are Scientists Leaving ISRO?

There is no official statement on this report but experts believe several factors could be contributing to this crisis:

• Better Salaries in Private Companies
• Global Career Opportunities
• Faster Career Growth
• Salary Difference

Can the Government Prevent Scientists From Resigning?

It is their legal right to resign from their jobs. But yes, the authorities can step-in to delay the process if the employee is working on sensitive national projects. The latest instructions do not ban scientists from leaving. Instead, they strengthen the review process to ensure that important missions are not disrupted.

India's Space Sector Is Expanding Rapidly

The space sector in India is expanding rapidly. After the government opened the sector to private participation, several startups and private companies entered the field, working on satellites, launch vehicles and other space technologies.

While these reforms have encouraged innovation and investment, they have also increased competition for skilled professionals. As a result, ISRO now faces the challenge of retaining experienced scientists while private companies continue to expand.