ISRO facing staff shortage with over 2,600 posts vacant
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is grappling with a major staff shortage, with 2,613 positions lying vacant across its scientific and administrative wings. The revelation comes at a critical juncture as the agency accelerates its interplanetary ambitions and domestic launch schedule. The Indian government hopes to fill most of these vacancies by October 2026.
Recruitment efforts
Recruitment for 1,449 positions underway
Out of the total vacancies, recruitment for 1,449 positions is already underway. The roles are at different stages of the selection process. The Department of Space has said it expects to complete these specific hires by October 2026. This timeline indicates a steady flow of new talent to support upcoming missions.
Scientific posts
Breakdown of vacancies
The heart of the agency is its Science and Technology wing, which has 14,108 sanctioned scientific posts. Out of these, 1,636 are currently vacant. This means approximately 11.6% of the technical workforce is still being recruited. The administrative side also has 977 open spots, and there are an additional 933 posts not yet in an active recruitment phase.
Mission urgency
Mission manifest driving recruitment urgency
The urgency to fill such roles is driven by a packed mission manifest. ISRO is currently focused on the Gaganyaan mission, which plans to send Indian astronauts into space. The agency is also preparing for the Nisar mission with NASA, which will monitor global environmental changes. Further, work is also underway on Chandrayaan 4 lunar sample return mission and Shukrayaan project to explore Venus.