The office memorandum issued by the Department of Space (DoS) in response to the mass resignation of scientists and engineers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) leaves many questions unanswered. While the Centre underplayed the order’s significance, ISRO has taken an opaque position on the matter. The chairman offered no clarity on how many people left, what led them to take such a step, or what measures the space agency plans to take in addressing this trend.
According to the memo, voluntary retirement and requests for resignation from scientists and technical staff associated with Gaganyaan and other “important” missions may no longer be routinely accepted. Since “important” missions are left undefined, this restriction could apply to all projects undertaken by DoS institutions. The memo revokes a previous order that empowered institution directors and unit heads to approve these requests. It instead centralises all decisions at the ISRO headquarters. ISRO has not denied reports of 100-120 scientists and technical staff leaving the department over the past year. This coincides with the rise of a private sector boasting over 400 startups. Skyroot Aerospace’s successful launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed space vehicle, underscores this upswing. A growing commercial industry offers better pay and greater work flexibility. The DoS should have anticipated this market dynamic when the sector was opened for private participation in 2020, and advised the government on a proactive talent retention strategy. This line of thinking was noticeably absent.
India’s technological growth is also a story of professionals shifting from public institutions such as DRDO, ECIL, ISRO, and BARC into private companies. The DoS order adds a layer to this story. Neither the government nor ISRO has demonstrated a strong intent to resolve the challenges this shift poses. As private players expand their footprint in the business of space, their demand for trained talent was inevitable, and ISRO was always going to be the first and natural source. The agency, however, did not have a comprehensive strategy in place to retain its workforce in the face of competition from the private sector. The solution does not lie in restricting employees from leaving. A few years ago, the Indian Air Force (IAF) faced a similar situation when it tried to prevent pilots from exiting before completing their service period. Then, an IAF Chief took a more pragmatic position, as he recognised that demoralised personnel are of little value to the force. ISRO would do well to learn from that episode and introspect on its career frameworks. (Source: DH)
