ISRO faces biggest staffing shortage in decades amid ambitious projects
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is dealing with its biggest staffing shortage in decades; nearly three out of every 10 jobs is unfilled, leaving the organization at about 72.2% of its approved workforce.
That's over 5,600 empty spots out of about 20,000.
This comes at a time when ISRO is gearing up for some of its most ambitious projects ever.
ISRO racing to fill 2,300 roles
The number of employees has dropped steadily since the 2019-20 fiscal year, partly because hiring was on pause for almost three years due to COVID-19 and strict recruitment rules.
Now, ISRO is racing to fill over 2,300 roles by late 2026. The timing couldn't be trickier: they're working on human spaceflight, lunar missions, and even planning an Indian space station.
To keep experienced scientists from leaving mid-mission, stricter exit rules are now in place, because every bit of expertise counts for these next-level challenges.