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ISRO staff demand meeting over privatisation and staffing doubts
Reported by Faizan Khan (Staff Writer) · The Hindu - Science ·
Reported by one source so far
Photo: Wikimedia CommonsWhat Happened
The Joint Action Council (JAC), representing nine ISRO employee associations, sent a letter on Oct 7 requesting a personal meeting with ISRO Chairperson Dr V Narayanan to discuss the agency’s future role, privatisation threats and technology transfer.
Concerns
The JAC said the video‑conference answer from Dr Narayanan after the first Sep 4 letter left core questions unanswered. Employees want clarity on the policy for privatising launch‑vehicle manufacturing, the transfer of operational functions, staffing after the recent cadre review, recruitment delays, concentration of functional posts, PRIS vigilance clearance and the revival of Joint Consultative Mechanisms.
Specific Objections
The council highlighted IN‑SPACe Chairperson Pawan Kumar Goenka’s claim that ISRO will stop making launch vehicles and warned that no official Department of Space notice explains the legal basis, phasing or impact on the workforce. JAC objects to moving the LVM‑3 project until the Next Generation Launch Vehicle is realised.
Request
JAC asked for a formal, structured interaction chaired by the DOS Secretary or Joint Secretary (Personnel) at the earliest convenient date. It stresses that private participation can coexist with a strong public ISRO, but a policy that turns ISRO into a residual R&D unit would be unacceptable.
Context
Such debates arise as India expands its commercial space market while trying to protect the public agency’s core capabilities and employee welfare.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
The Joint Action Council, a body of nine ISRO employee groups, sent a second letter on Oct 7 asking Chairperson Dr V Narayanan for a face‑to‑face meeting after a video‑conference response left many doubts open.
Why It Matters
If ISRO’s launch‑vehicle production and operations shift to private firms, the agency could become mainly a research outfit, affecting national security, technology control and the jobs of thousands of scientists and engineers. Clear policies are needed to protect staff rights, recruitment pipelines and the legal basis for any transfer.
What Happens Next
The council wants the Department of Space to schedule a formal meeting chaired by the DOS Secretary or Joint Secretary (Personnel). Until a detailed policy is released, employees are likely to continue pressing for answers, and the government may need to issue an official statement outlining any privatisation timeline and safeguards.
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