As 100 ISRO Scientists Quit Or Retire Early, Govt Tightens Exit Rule

By Samira Vishwas On Jul 16, 2026

New Delhi: Concerned by a wave of resignations from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the government has issued a directive aimed at tightening exit rules.

In an internal memorandum dated July 14, the Department of Space (DoS) has directed Centre Directors and Heads of Units not to routinely accept resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group ‘A’ scientific and technical personnel linked to Gaganyaan and other “important missions”.

“Of late, it is noticed that there has been a spate of requests for voluntary retirement and resignation from Group ‘A’ Scientific/Technical personnel of ISRO including those associated with the prestigious Gaganyaan and other important missions/projects severely impacting the implementation of projects of national importance,” said the directive, which was accessed by IndiaToday.in.

“In view of this, it has been decided that voluntary retirement and resignation requests from Scientific & Technical personnel associated with the Gaganyaan and other important Mission / Projects may not be accepted as a matter of routine,” it stated.

All such requests must now be referred to the Department of Space for final approval.

According to ISRO officials, there has been a significant outflow of several senior and high-profile scientists of late.

ISRO sources told The Times of India that between 100 and 120 scientists may have resigned in recent months. The DoS has not officially disclosed the number of resignees.

According to the report, around 80 scientists have left the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, and around 20 departures have been reported from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. According to sources, the actual number could be higher, as more resignations are currently under evaluation.

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan acknowledged the spate of resignations but sought to downplay concerns.

“Yes, a lot of people go, but that’s part of every organisation. The move isn’t only to retain, but also to ensure that important projects don’t suffer all of a sudden. If someone is still going, someone else will take responsibility. We’re taking care of it,” Narayanan was quoted as saying by the Times of India.