In a landmark ruling on April 29, 2024, the Supreme Court of India directed the regularisation of daily-wage employees at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), recognizing their significant contributions to the country's space legacy. The bench, led by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, criticized the previous 'Gang Labourers Scheme' of 2012 for offering only temporary employment to these workers, who had served for up to 26 years. The court emphasized that denying these workers recognition and job security undermines fairness and dignity in public employment. The ruling was based on a civil appeal filed by R Iyyappan and 33 others, who challenged the Madras High Court's decision to uphold the rejection of their regularisation plea. The court's judgment not only set aside the 2012 scheme but also mandated the creation of permanent posts for the workers, effective retroactively from September 9, 2010, and ordered compliance within four weeks. The ruling extends to all similarly situated workers, reinforcing the principle that the state must act as a model employer, treating all employees with respect and fairness.