Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh has addressed concerns surrounding two recent developments involving the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), clarifying that the issues have been misinterpreted.
Speaking to reporters, Singh said the Department of Space’s recent directive tightening rules on resignations and voluntary retirements of key ISRO scientists was issued solely for administrative reasons and was not prompted by any crisis within the organisation.
ISRO Directive Meant for Administrative Efficiency
Responding to questions about the July 14 memo issued by the Department of Space, Singh said the decision was intended to ensure that requests from scientists working on critical national missions receive careful consideration.
“No, that is because… that is for administrative reasons so that the decision can be taken at a much mature level,” the minister said.
He dismissed speculation that the move was linked to a large-scale exit of scientists from ISRO.
“ISRO has a very large workforce. As people leave, many also join. Many have gone, many have come,” Singh said, adding that there was “no controversy” surrounding the matter.
Gaganyaan Mission Continues Uninterrupted
The minister also rejected suggestions that recent personnel changes could affect India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.
Recalling remarks made years ago by former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, Singh said:
“In one of the very early meetings about 10 years back, he said sending up a man is easier, getting him back is equally difficult. And that’s how, you know, this crew module thing started.”
Referring to Somanath’s retirement, Singh added:
“Now Somanath is no longer in the picture. It doesn’t mean the Gaganyaan mission has stopped. It doesn’t happen. And moreover in ISRO, they work in continuity. Even retired and ex-scientists are very much part of the projects. So it’s a different kind of work culture there.”
Former ISRO chief S. Somanath, who led the space agency until January 2025 and oversaw landmark missions including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, recently joined Chennai-based space startup Agnikul Cosmos as an observer on its board of directors.
New Rules for Scientists Working on Critical Missions
The Department of Space’s July 14 directive instructed major ISRO centres, including the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), not to routinely approve resignation or voluntary retirement requests from Group ‘A’ scientific and technical personnel associated with Gaganyaan and other strategically important missions.
The move is aimed at ensuring continuity in India’s flagship space programmes.
No Sensitive Data Breach at Kudankulam: Minister
Jitendra Singh also addressed concerns regarding reports related to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu.
He reiterated NPCIL’s position that no sensitive data had been compromised, suggesting that the controversy had little to do with the strategic nuclear facility itself.
The minister questioned calls for a review, saying there was no incident warranting such action.
The matter is currently being examined jointly by NPCIL and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
India’s Largest Nuclear Power Park Under Development
The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project currently operates two Russian-designed 1,000 MW nuclear reactors, while four additional units are under construction.
Once all six reactors become operational, the facility will have a total installed capacity of 6,000 MW, making it India’s largest nuclear power park.