New Delhi, July 16 -- The Centre has tightened rules governing voluntary retirement and resignation of scientists working on some of ISRO's most critical programmes, following reports that more than 100 personnel have left the space agency in recent months.

In a memorandum issued on July 14, the Department of Space (DoS) directed 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 the Gaganyaan mission and other "important missions/projects". Instead, such requests will require scrutiny by the Department of Space before a final decision is taken....