The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space have launched a recruitment drive to fill 746 positions across scientific, technical, and administrative roles. The effort comes as the space agency faces its highest staffing shortage in a quarter-century, with nearly 28 percent of its sanctioned posts sitting empty.
Government employment records show that 5,632 of the 20,269 sanctioned positions in the Department of Space are unfilled. Active staff numbers have dropped to 14,637—a workforce smaller than what the department employed two decades ago. Scientific and technical personnel, who build satellites and launch vehicles, account for three-quarters of these open spots.
The staffing gap widened following hiring delays during the pandemic, changes to recruitment rules, and an uptick in resignations among mid-career engineers. To prevent further losses, the department recently updated its exit policies to keep key personnel on critical projects.
The current hiring push includes 336 regular positions alongside 410 apprenticeship slots. Of the regular openings, 92 posts are reserved for engineers and scientists in electronics, mechanical, computer science, and civil disciplines. Candidates for these core engineering roles will be selected using Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scores rather than a separate written exam.
This rush to recruit comes during a heavy mission schedule for the agency. ISRO is working through tight deadlines for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, building the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), and preparing upcoming missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus.
kanu priya
