The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Department of Space (DoS) have announced a major recruitment drive offering 746 job and training opportunities, and thus, there will be a significant boost for those in India’s rapidly expanding space sector.
The recruitment is for 336 regular positions in scientific, engineering and administrative domains with 410 apprenticeship opportunities for the 2026–27 period. The massive hiring is coming at a crucial time for India’s space programme as it faces its worst manpower shortage for more than 25 years and is preparing for a series of ambitious missions.
According to recent reports, the recruitment drive is among the largest announced by the Department of Space in recent years. The vacancies include technical, scientific and administrative roles and are expected to enhance ISRO’s technical, scientific and administrative staff. At least 43 positions are backlog vacancies, which indicates that backlogs need to be filled in positions that have been filled from previous recruitment cycles.
The recruitment announcement comes as the availability of skilled personnel in India’s space programme is becoming more and more a concern. ISRO is working on many high-priority projects such as the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, future lunar exploration programmes, advanced satellite systems and long-term plans involving Mars and other deep space missions.
It was reported that the organisation is experiencing its longest manpower shortage in about 25 years and the workforce needs to increase as the number and complexity of missions continue to rise. This has been attributed to recruitment disruptions during the COVID-19 period, delays associated with changes in hiring processes, and an increase in voluntary retirements and resignations among experienced staff.
This latest recruitment drive is therefore seen as an important step towards strengthening India’s space workforce and ensuring that major national projects have the required scientific and technical support.
Regular vacancies include scientists, engineers and administrative personnel. ISRO’s centralised recruitment process has also announced openings for Scientist/Engineer ‘SC’ positions in disciplines such as electronics, mechanical engineering, computer science, civil engineering, electrical engineering, refrigeration and air-conditioning, and architecture. The recruitment process is expected to use a combination of GATE scores and written examinations for different vacancies.
Meanwhile, the 410 apprenticeship positions have been announced at the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru. These opportunities include Graduate Apprentices, Technician Apprentices and Commercial Practice Apprentices. The apprenticeship program is intended to provide practical training and exposure to India’s advanced space research and satellite-development ecosystem. However, apprenticeship does not provide permanent job opportunities with ISRO.
The Department of Space has previously informed Parliament that thousands of positions are still vacant in scientific, technical and administrative domains. Official data released earlier in 2026 showed that recruitment was already underway for a significant number of vacancies and more were being launched.
The talent gap for India, of course, and the skilled scientists, engineers and technical professionals who work for them in this field will be critical for India to continue to develop its space capabilities. India is developing new space launch technologies and is on the way to becoming a leading player in human spaceflight and planetary exploration.
The announcement of 746 openings could provide an opportunity to graduates, engineers, science professionals and young trainees who wish to get involved in India’s space programme. And it will also help to address workforce gaps at a time when ISRO’s responsibilities are growing rapidly.
A candidate should be aware of the ISRO careers and recruitment pages for eligibility criteria, application methods, examination requirements and deadlines. The official opportunities page currently provides several recruitment notifications, including centralised Scientist/Engineer recruitment and other administrative and technical jobs.
Although the new recruitment campaign will not immediately address the organisation’s overall manpower challenges, it is not only a major step toward the rebuilding of capacity, but will also bring in new talent and the next generation of scientists to one of India’s most important scientific institutions.
