Higher pay, faster growth: Why more than 100 scientists quit ISRO in recent months

India's space programme has long been associated with landmark achievements—from Chandrayaan-3's successful Moon landing to ambitious plans for human spaceflight. But even as the country's space ambitions continue to expand, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is facing a different kind of challenge: holding on to its experienced scientists.

According to a report by NDTV, more than 100 scientists have either resigned or taken voluntary retirement from ISRO over the past few months. The development has prompted the Department of Space (DoS) to tighten the rules governing resignations for scientists working on some of India's most important space missions.

Department Of Space Moves To Retain Scientists

An India Today report said the Department of Space has issued a fresh directive restricting resignations and voluntary retirement of scientists associated with flagship programmes such as Gaganyaan.

The decision highlights the government's effort to retain specialised talent at a time when several high-profile missions are in the pipeline. It has also brought renewed attention to a key question: why are scientists choosing to leave ISRO when India's space sector is growing faster than ever?

Private Space Industry Offering New Opportunities

According to the India Today report, industry experts and senior ISRO officials attribute the departures to several factors, including the rapid growth of India's private space ecosystem, organisational challenges and delays in mission execution.

Since the space sector was opened to private participation in 2020, companies such as Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace, Dhruva Space and Digantara have emerged as major players, developing rockets, satellites, propulsion systems and space-based technologies.

For many scientists, the attraction is straightforward. The report noted that private firms often offer higher salaries, stock options, greater flexibility and quicker career progression than traditional government organisations. Scientists are also able to take on leadership responsibilities earlier in their careers and work in environments where projects move rapidly from concept to execution.

The trend has been strengthened by former ISRO veterans who have gone on to establish or mentor aerospace startups, creating career opportunities that barely existed a few years ago, according to the report.

Mission Delays And Organisational Challenges

The India Today report said the departures have also come at a time when several major ISRO missions have experienced delays.

Projects including the Gaganyaan G1 test flight, SSLV-L1, GSLV-F17 and the industry-built PSLV-N1 have slipped beyond their announced schedules.

The report further noted that twin PSLV setbacks earlier this year slowed launch activities, with the agency yet to publicly release a detailed failure assessment.

It also cited multiple current and former officials, speaking privately, who said technical and administrative decision-making has become increasingly centralised within the Chairman's Office, resulting in slower approvals and reduced operational flexibility.

Experts Suggest Changes To Employment Model

According to the India Today report, senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, believe ISRO could consider employment practices followed by agencies such as Nasa and the European Space Agency.

These organisations use a hybrid workforce that combines permanent employees, contractors and project-based hires. According to the report, many space policy experts believe such a model would provide greater flexibility while allowing ISRO to retain critical institutional knowledge.

The report added that this could enable the agency to focus more on areas such as mission design, systems engineering, human spaceflight, deep-space exploration and advanced research, including reusable launch vehicles and nuclear propulsion.

Why The Government Has Tightened Exit Rules

The India Today report said the Department of Space's 14 July memorandum reflects concerns that the growing number of departures could affect nationally important programmes.

Scientists working on Gaganyaan and other flagship missions will no longer be able to leave through routine approvals. Instead, every resignation and voluntary retirement request will require clearance from the Department of Space.

While the scientists who have left represent only a small fraction of ISRO's workforce of over 14,600 employees, the report noted that many possess years of specialised expertise gained through missions such as Chandrayaan-3, SpaDeX and Gaganyaan. Replacing such experience, it said, is far more difficult than simply recruiting new graduates.

According to the report, the changing employment landscape reflects the evolution of India's space sector itself. For decades, ISRO was the primary destination for aspiring aerospace engineers. Today, however, a rapidly expanding private space industry offers alternative career paths with competitive compensation, faster growth and opportunities to work on cutting-edge technologies—leaving ISRO with the challenge of not only attracting talent, but also retaining it.