The Central government has tightened resignation and voluntary retirement rules at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after reports of more than 100 scientists leaving the organisation in recent months. The move aims to ensure that major national missions, including Gaganyaan, continue without disruption. The Centre has directed all ISRO centres not to accept resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group 'A' scientific and technical personnel working on Gaganyaan and other important projects.

According to an internal memorandum issued on July 14 and accessed by India Today, all requests for resignation and voluntary retirement from these employees will now go directly to the Department of Space for review. The new instruction applies to scientists and technical staff involved in key missions. The decision reflects the government's focus on protecting critical space programmes from sudden manpower shortages.

The latest directive follows reports of a large number of scientists leaving ISRO in the past few months. While the Department of Space has not officially confirmed the total number of resignations, media reports suggest that the figure has crossed 100. As per ToI report and ISRO sources, the number of resignations is around 100 to 120 scientists.

The report also highlighted that the highest number of resignations came from the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Nearly 80 scientists reportedly left the centre in recent months. Another 20 scientists resigned from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Sources quoted by the publication said the total number of resignations could be close to 120, although they confirmed at least 100 scientists had already left.

The resignations raised concerns over the possible impact on ISRO's ongoing and future missions. The government's latest order seeks to prevent sudden exits from affecting projects that hold national importance. The Department of Space will now examine every resignation and voluntary retirement request before taking a final decision. This process is expected to give the government greater control over staffing in sensitive programmes.

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan acknowledged that the organisation has witnessed a significant number of resignations. He, however, expressed confidence that ISRO remains capable of handling the situation without affecting its work. He said, "Yes, a lot of people go, but that's part of every organisation. The move [memorandum] isn't only to retain, but also to ensure that important projects don't suffer all of a sudden. But if someone is still going, someone else will take responsibility. We're taking care of it."

His remarks indicate that the new memorandum is not only aimed at retaining experienced scientists but also at maintaining continuity in major missions. The organisation plans to ensure that critical responsibilities do not remain unattended if a scientist leaves. Senior officials believe that replacement mechanisms are already in place to support ongoing work.

The Gaganyaan mission remains one of India's most ambitious space programmes. It aims to send Indian astronauts into space using an indigenous spacecraft. Several other strategic ISRO projects are also at crucial stages of development. Any sudden shortage of experienced scientists could affect project timelines. The government's latest decision seeks to reduce that risk by introducing closer scrutiny of resignation requests.

The Department of Space has not released any official statement explaining the reasons behind the reported resignations. The memorandum also does not mention the cause of the departures. It focuses on the process that ISRO centres must now follow while dealing with resignation and voluntary retirement applications from scientists working on key missions.

The latest development highlights the government's effort to safeguard India's major space programmes during a period of significant staff movement within ISRO. The revised process places the final decision on resignations in the hands of the Department of Space. Officials hope this will help maintain stability in the country's most important scientific missions while ensuring that ongoing projects continue without unexpected disruptions.