In a significant update provided to the Lok Sabha on February 11, 2026, the Union Government confirmed that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is currently grappling with a personnel shortage. Out of a total sanctioned strength of 18,142 personnel, the agency is operating with 15,529 employees, leaving 2,613 positions vacant.
This disclosure, made by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology, highlights a nearly 14.4% vacancy rate at a time when ISRO is preparing for high-stakes projects like the Gaganyaan crewed mission and the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return.
Breaking Down the Vacancies
The shortage spans both the high-end technical workforce and the administrative support staff required to keep the space agency functional.
| Category | Sanctioned Strength | Current Staffing | Vacant Posts |
| Scientific & Technical | 14,108 | 12,472 | 1,636 |
| Administrative | 4,034 | 3,057 | 977 |
| Total | 18,142 | 15,529 | 2,613 |
Recruitment Roadmap: Filling the Gap by October 2026
To mitigate the crunch, the Department of Space has initiated a multi-phase recruitment drive.
- Active Recruitment: Hiring for 1,449 positions is already in various stages of the selection process.
- Completion Deadline: The government expects to finalize these 1,449 appointments by October 2026.
- Initiating New Cycles: For the remaining 1,164 posts, recruitment processes are being initiated to ensure that mission timelines for 2027 and 2028 are not compromised.
Why This Matters: The Mission Manifest
The urgency to fill these roles is exacerbated by a string of recent technical challenges, including the loss of the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission in January 2026. Experts suggest that the rapid commercialization and prestige projects are straining quality control and resource allocation.
Key Missions Vulnerable to Staff Shortages:
- Gaganyaan (2027): India’s first human spaceflight requires high-density engineering oversight.
- NISAR (2026): A complex joint venture with NASA for global environmental monitoring.
- Chandrayaan-4: A highly complex lunar mission requiring precise robotics and sample return tech.
- Shukrayaan: India’s maiden mission to explore Venus.
“The Department is filling up the vacant posts by induction of fresh personnel… through various recruitment agencies and internal promotion processes.” — Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State.
Strategic Reset
The vacancy news has sparked a debate among the scientific community regarding lateral hiring. Critics on platforms like Reddit’s r/ISRO argue that while hiring fresh graduates (Scientist ‘SC’ level) is a long-term fix, the agency lacks a robust mechanism for lateral entry to fill senior engineering gaps, which are critical for debugging failures like the recent PSLV anomalies.
