Berhampur: The state government has provided 20 acres for construction of the administrative building of the Khallikote Cluster University, but the varsity authorities feel the plot is not big enough.

"We need at least 500 acres for a full-fledged university," said Khallikote Cluster University vice-chancellor Amarendra Narayan Mishra.

"The Ganjam district administration has handed over a plot of 20 acre and 200 decimal at Palur Hills situated on the outskirts of Berhampur but we will request the government to provide us a larger plot at some other suitable place," Mishra said.

The state government upgraded Khallikote Autonomous College to the status of a university on May 30, 2015 with five of its constituent colleges - Khallikote Autonomous College, Sashi Bhusan Rath Women's College, Binayak Acharya College in Berhampur and government colleges at Chatrapur and Gopalpur.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who laid the foundation stone to upgrade Khallikote Autonomous College into a cluster university on April 30, 2015, said around Rs 60 crore would be spent on the infrastructure of the university. The higher education department has sanctioned six post-graduate departments for the varsity.

"We will invite application forms for the appointment of seven faculty members in each department comprising one professor, two readers and four lecturers shortly and the classes will start from the 2018-19 academic session," Mishra said.