ISRO issues memo to curb exodus of staff from key missions
Department of Space has told ISRO centres not to routinely accept resignations or voluntary retirement requests from Group A scientific and technical personnel linked to Gaganyaan and other critical missions until mission completion.
- The Department of Space issued a memorandum to ISRO centres to prevent routine acceptance of resignation and voluntary retirement requests from mission-linked scientific and technical personnel.
- Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh said there is no manpower crisis in ISRO and said project progress continues through continuity in the team.
- Parliament responses in 2026 discussed ISRO sanctioned strength and vacancies.
What happened
The Department of Space has issued a memorandum to ISRO centres and unit heads to curb exits from personnel working on critical national missions, including Gaganyaan. The memorandum says requests for voluntary retirement or resignation from Group A scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other important missions should not be accepted routinely until those missions are realised.
The memorandum also says that requests from personnel below the rank of SG in relevant roles should be referred to the Department of Space for a final decision. Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh said there is no manpower crisis and argued that continuity within the ISRO team is protecting project progress.
UPSC can ask why skilled manpower retention matters for strategic space programmes, how the Department of Space balances administrative control with mission continuity, and what the Gaganyaan programme implies for India’s human-spaceflight capabilities.
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