You can start with ISRO's YUVIKA programme at school, study at IIST, join ISRO as a scientist or engineer through GATE, or work for one of India's 400-plus space start-ups.
India's space sector now has two big employers: the government programme led by ISRO, and a fast-growing private industry. By February 2026 India had more than 400 space start-ups. About 1,050 private companies had listed their space capabilities on IN-SPACe's digital platform by January 2026.
YUVIKA, ISRO's Young Scientists Programme, is a two-week residential programme for students who have just passed Class 9. Students meet scientists and Gaganyatris, watch a live sounding rocket launch, assemble a Chandrayaan-3 model kit and build and fly model rockets.
The 2026 edition ran from 11 to 22 May at nine ISRO centres, from Thiruvananthapuram to Shillong. 1,06,530 students registered and 456 were selected, from 28 states and 8 union territories.
The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is an autonomous institute of the Department of Space. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in space science, technology and applications, with the aim of training people for ISRO.
ISRO hires young engineers as Scientist/Engineer 'SC' through its Centralised Recruitment Board. For its GATE-based recruitment, candidates apply with their GATE scores. Shortlisting for interview is by GATE score, at a ratio of 7 candidates per post. The 2026 advertisement was dated 28 July 2026.
Space jobs are not only for rocket designers. When the Cabinet approved India's ₹1,000 crore space venture fund, it listed expected jobs in engineering, software development, data analysis and manufacturing, plus supply chains, logistics and professional services. Satellite data is also used for food and water security, disaster management and governance, so people who analyse that data are part of the sector too.
Worked example: in YUVIKA 2026, 456 of 1,06,530 registered students were selected. That is 456 ÷ 1,06,530 ≈ 0.0043, or about 1 in 234.
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Reading selection numbers. A 1:7 shortlist ratio means that for N posts, about 7N candidates are called for interview. If an advertisement had 60 posts, roughly 420 candidates would be interviewed, and the GATE score decides who those 420 are.
YUVIKA is more selective at the entry stage: 456 places for 1,06,530 registrations, about 0.43%. But it is designed as exposure, not as a job route. Over its first five editions it trained 1,320 students. The 2026 batch of 456 spread over nine centres averages 456 ÷ 9 ≈ 51 students per centre.
Where the jobs sit. The Department of Space budget lists the institutions that employ people. Under 'Space Technology' are ISRO's rocket, propulsion, satellite, launch, tracking and human spaceflight centres. Under 'Space Applications' are SAC, NRSC and IIRS. Autonomous bodies include IIST, PRL, NARL and NE-SAC. Each has different needs, from propulsion engineers at LPSC to remote-sensing scientists at NRSC.
The private side. The government's ₹1,000 crore venture fund plans to back about 40 start-ups with ₹10–60 crore each. The Cabinet expected each investment to create direct jobs in engineering, software development, data analysis and manufacturing.
A two-week residential Young Scientists Programme for students who have passed Class 9, run at ISRO centres to introduce space science, technology and applications.
Through its Centralised Recruitment Board, using GATE scores to shortlist candidates for interview in a 1:7 ratio.
The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, an autonomous institute under the Department of Space offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in space science and technology.