Restore Khallikote University’s glory: Ex-VC

Berhampur: From being one of Odisha’s oldest and most prestigious centres of higher learning to becoming the State’s youngest university, Khallikote’s academic journey has been marked by dramatic transformation that many educationists describe as both unprecedented and unfortunate.

Established as Odisha’s first Cluster University under the RUSA scheme in 2015, Khallikote Cluster University was merged with Berhampur University in 2021, effectively ending an ambitious higher education experiment after crores of rupees had been invested from the public exchequer. The merger not only erased the identity of the Cluster University but also reduced a historic institution to the nomenclature of a “Unitary University,” despite functioning on the same Oxford-model pattern as Ravenshaw University and Gangadhar Meher University. Fresh demands for restoring the lost glory of Khallikote have gained momentum following revelations made by former Vice-Chancellor Prof Manmath Padhi in his autobiography ‘Kichi Katha Kichi Byatha’. When contacted, Prof Manmath Padhi, who was the first Vice-Chancellor of Khallikote Cluster University and behind it’s educational excellence, said that the State government must revive the institution’s distinct identity by redesignating it as Khallikote University, transferring back the land, assets and infrastructure that were merged with Berhampur University in 2021, and ordering a comprehensive inquiry into why Odisha became the only State where the UGC-backed Cluster University model was discontinued. Despite its distinguished legacy and remarkable contributions to higher education, administration, public service and national leadership, the institute has struggled to preserve the stature it once enjoyed. From producing eminent personalities and serving as a premier educational institution of South Odisha to witnessing repeated structural transformations, its journey has raised uncomfortable questions. Why did an institution of such historic significance fail to maintain its legacy? Who were responsible for the decisions that led to the dilution of its identity and status? Educationists, alumni and stakeholders believe these questions deserve a transparent inquiry so that accountability is fixed and the institution’s lost glory can be restored for future generations.