The Department of Space (DoS) is facing a growing shortage of personnel despite tightening dismissal rules to reduce voluntary departures of scientists working on flagship missions. An analysis of DoS employment data conducted by TOI shows that by the end of 2025-26, nearly three out of every ten approved positions remain unfilled, representing the widest staffing gap in the last 25 years.
Current Staffing Situation
With an approved strength of 20,269 positions, DoS currently has only 14,637 employees, leaving 5,632 vacancies and corresponding to an employment level of only 72.2%. In fact, the number of employees in 2025-26 (14,637 people) is lower than it was in 2001-02 (14,847 people). It is important to note that in 2001-02, the approved strength was only 16,423 positions, which resulted in a vacancy rate of less than 10%.
Staff Reduction Dynamics
The vacancy rate has steadily worsened over recent years: it dropped from an employment level of about 86% in 2019-20 to the current level of over 72%. This occurs while ISRO implements the most ambitious phases of its missions. The vacancy problem existed even before the recent wave of resignations.
In 2019-20, DoS had 17,222 employees against an approved strength of 20,039, corresponding to an employment level of almost 86%. Six years later, the approved strength remained virtually unchanged, but the staff decreased by almost 2,600 people to 14,637. The employment level declined annually from 2019-20, reaching a minimum of 71.7% in 2024-25, before slightly increasing in 2025-26.
Impact on Scientific Fields
Approximately three-quarters of DoS's workforce are scientific and technical specialists. Consequently, vacancies disproportionately affect engineers, scientists, and technical specialists who work on satellite, launch vehicle, and deep space mission development. This decline is happening during the most active phase of India's space program, which includes plans for human spaceflight, lunar missions, and the creation of a space station. ISRO also bears the burden of meeting strategic demand, as the private sector remains very nascent despite all the excitement.
Regarding rocketry, ISRO is working on a next-generation rocket (NGLV), a partially reusable vehicle, and plans are being developed for a second Mars mission and a first Venus mission.
Response to the Problem and Reforms
A recent Parliament session discussed the current vacancies and inquired about the reasons for the significant human resource deficit, as well as the measures taken to address the issue. In response, DoS stated that the accumulation of vacancies is largely a consequence of cascading effects that arose since 2020-21 due to Covid-19 restrictions, the implementation of industry reforms, and the adoption of stricter and more robust recruitment procedures.
According to DoS, recruitment processes could only resume after October 2023, creating a substantial gap in recruitment activity for almost two to three years. DoS reported that recruitment has already begun for 1,449 positions that are expected to be filled by October 2026, and another 933 positions are planned to be filled by December 2026. The remaining vacancies include previously existing Group D positions and roles that will be filled after the implementation of the second human resource review.
These figures indicate that DoS faces two parallel challenges: rebuilding a workforce that has been steadily shrinking in recent years, and retaining experienced scientists working on missions whose institutional knowledge the organization cannot afford to lose.
