Now Reading: ISRO hiring still dominates India’s space college despite bond removal
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ISRO hiring still dominates India’s space college despite bond removal
India's space college, the Indian Institute of Space Sciences and Technology (IIST), continues to feed most graduates to ISRO, frustrating private spacetech firms that are struggling to hire. In one case, all six IIST students who completed an industry project at startup Piersight in early 2026 turned down job offers after receiving ISRO recruitment offers in April and May.
ISRO ended its hiring bond with IIST in 2024, which previously required BTech graduates to join the space agency if offered a position. The change was meant to align IIST with India's growing private spacetech sector, which raised nearly Rs 2,000 crore in 2025 and now employs 8,000-9,000 people against ISRO's 14,637. However, aspirational pull and unclear hiring timelines still push students toward the government agency. Piersight's CEO has asked for more clarity from ISRO on its recruitment schedule.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The bond's removal marks a structural shift in India's space ecosystem, where ISRO has historically been the monopoly employer for IIST graduates. Private spacetech now employs 8,000-9,000 people, closing in on ISRO's 14,637 workforce. With Rs 2,000 crore raised by private firms in 2025, the talent pipeline must widen. IIST's curriculum and placement cycle need to adapt fast, or India risks losing the private-sector momentum the 2020 reforms aimed to create. Watch for whether IIST introduces a separate recruitment timeline for private companies in its 2026-27 academic calendar.
Source: the-ken.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
