COEP Technological University to Recruit 109 Faculty Members by December 2026 After Nearly 15-Year Hiring Freeze

Pune, November 4, 2026: COEP Technological University is preparing to recruit 109 faculty members by December 2026, marking a significant step towards ending a nearly 15-year freeze on permanent teaching appointments. The recruitment process has received a boost following a Supreme Court decision allowing the university to fill vacant sanctioned posts without affecting appointments involved in an ongoing legal dispute.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sunil Bhirud announced the development during a media interaction on Tuesday, stating that the university aims to complete the recruitment process before the end of the year, subject to final approval from the Maharashtra government.

109 Teaching Positions Vacant Since 2012

According to the Vice-Chancellor, COEP Technological University has 221 government-sanctioned teaching positions, of which approximately 109 have remained vacant since 2012.

The prolonged recruitment freeze has affected the university's ability to strengthen its permanent teaching workforce, forcing it to depend on contractual faculty members to maintain regular academic activities.

The proposed recruitment drive is expected to reduce this dependence and improve the availability of permanent teaching staff across academic departments.

Bhirud said the Supreme Court's decision has provided a way to move forward with recruitment while keeping the disputed appointments unchanged.

Legal Dispute Over 54 Faculty Appointments Delayed Recruitment

The recruitment deadlock dates back to the period between 2007 and 2011, when COEP was functioning as an autonomous engineering college.

During this period, 54 faculty members were recruited. However, their appointments were subsequently challenged through legal proceedings.

The Bombay High Court ordered the removal of the faculty members concerned, prompting them to approach the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court subsequently issued a status quo order, resulting in restrictions that prevented the institution from proceeding with regular recruitment for several years.

As a result, COEP continued its academic operations with the support of contractual teaching staff.

The Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department later approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to fill other vacant sanctioned positions.

The court has now allowed recruitment against these vacancies while directing that the status of the 54 disputed appointments remain unchanged.

Recruitment Proposal Submitted to DTE Pune

Following the court's decision, COEP Technological University has completed its reservation roster and forwarded its recruitment proposal to the Pune regional office of the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE).

However, the university must obtain final approval from the Maharashtra government before beginning the formal recruitment process.

Vice-Chancellor Bhirud said the institution would initiate the appointments once the necessary government clearance is received.

The university expects to complete recruitment for all 109 positions by December 2026, provided the approval and subsequent selection procedures proceed as planned.

Permanent Faculty Recruitment Expected to Strengthen Academics

The proposed appointments are expected to improve the university's long-term academic staffing structure and reduce reliance on temporary faculty.

A stronger permanent teaching workforce could also support academic continuity, research activities, student mentoring and departmental development.

The recruitment drive represents an important administrative development for one of Pune's prominent engineering institutions after years of legal uncertainty surrounding faculty appointments.

For now, the university is awaiting the state government's final approval before formally launching the recruitment process.