The faculty of the constituent colleges is highly skilled with many of them having multi-dimensional expertise both in teaching and research. The CUK will have one of the largest faculty strengths in the region with the augmentation of Clustering of the institutions and one will find the CUK intellectually stimulating with a wonderful learning experience. According to the RUSA guidelines, the three constituent colleges are nomenclature as College of Science (K.V.R. Government College for Women), College of Management (Silver Jubilee Government College) and College of Arts (Government Degree College for Men). The total teaching faculty of the three Constituent Colleges of Cluster University is 169 and 87 have PhDs and are well experienced and expertised in teaching and research activities. 12 Faculty members are from the premier education institutes like IITs, IICT, IISC, Central Universities and Professional Universities. The three colleges have NAAC accreditation: Silver Jubilee Government College - NAAC 'A', KVR Government Degree College for Women - NAAC 'B++' , Government Degree College for Men -NAAC 'B+. The specialty of areas includes: 1. Research Inculcation and advancement and dissemination of knowledge, 2. Integrated courses in Humanities, Social Sciences and Science and Technology, 3. Inter-disciplinary courses with a thrust on frontier areas of knowledge, 4. Innovative practices in teaching, training and research with quality concerns, global standards according to National Education Policy 2020.

The three constituent colleges offer basic UG (37) and PG (21) Programmes of Sciences, Commerce and Management and Arts and the total number of the students being admitted is 1890 in UG and 790 in PG each year . For the first time, the UG admissions of the two constituent colleges – KVR Govt Degree College for Women (A) and Govt Degree College for Men, Kurnool were held through OAMDC (Online Admission Module for Degree Colleges) of APCFSS and Silver Jubilee Govt. College, Kurnool through APREI Society for the academic year 2021-2022 in the month of September, 2021 and followed by SILVERCET from 2022-23 held under Cluster University. The PG admissions of the three constituent colleges were held under Cluster University, Kurnool, through APPGCET-2021 for the academic year 2021-2022. According to the NEP-2020 guidelines, the Cluster University is going to launch 7 new courses such as Virology, Chemical technology, Food Science and Technology & Dietetics and Nutrition, Hospital Management and Administration, Computer Science Applications-Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, Cloud Computing, Big Data, drone technology and Social work. These courses are job oriented and related to skill development, social service and self-supporting subjects with multidisciplinary approach.

Inception of Cluster University, Kurnool:

Cluster University, Kurnool, established under Act No. 13 of 2020 of Andhra Pradesh Legislature, is a unitary non-affiliating university limiting its jurisdiction to the campuses of three colleges constituting the cluster namely: 1) Silver Jubilee Govt. College (Autonomous), Kurnool, 2) KVR Govt. Degree College for Women (Autonomous), Kurnool, 3) Government Degree College for Men, Kurnool. This is the first Cluster University established in South India under the funding of MHRD-RUSA, Govt. of India, New Delhi with infrastructure funding of Rs. 55 crores . These three colleges are de-affiliated from Rayalaseema University and constituted to Cluster University, Kurnool from academic year 2021 onwards. The Government was appointed the following administrative officers to the Cluster University- Prof. D.V.R. Sai Gopal, Professor, Department of Virology, S.V.University, Tirupati appointed as the First Vice-Chancellor of Cluster University, Kurnool, vide G.O. Ms. No. 11 dated 02-03-2021, Cluster University (Kurnool) Act, 2019 (Act No. 13 of 2020) and Prof. D. Sreenivasulu, Department of Chemistry, S.V. University, Tirupati, as the First Registrar of Cluster University, Kurnool. The vision of the Cluster University is established on the basis NEP-2020 as Centre of academic and research excellence, promoting multidisciplinary approach, fostering a culture of ingenuity and critical thinking, inculcating entrepreneurial outlook, and instilling universal human values with a thrust on Indian knowledge systems. The Mission of the university to offer interdisciplinary approach for the exploration of multiple fields of study enabling the students to nurture their interests and pave their career paths and to promote research and innovation through establishing the research corridors, incubators and technology hubs leveraging digital resources and tools. The goal of the University is to become globally competitive and internationally recognized institution by collaborating with the leading international universities and also to enhance the social responsibility through community engagement for the harmonious social, economic and environmental ecosystems. The University will provide flexible and learner-centric environment for continuous professional development and entrepreneurial zest to meet the challenges of the 21st century and also to disseminate the quintessence of the Indian Knowledge Systems. The Key Initiatives of the Institution are Microsoft Upskilling Programme (MSUP) with 582 students, Faculty Interaction Programme with all the three constituent colleges, a Massive Tree Plantation programme was organized by the Cluster University, the noted personalities, educationists, and philanthropists participated in the event. The ordinances and the statutes are drafted for the Cluster University as per the guidelines of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). The strength of the teaching- faculty are 109, non-teaching faculty 104 and the students of UG and PG 6000 together in the three constituent colleges. The Cluster University has proposed sever new courses at PG level with the strength of faculty 49 and non-teaching with 86 and students strength with forty seats in each course. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has sanctioned Rs. 80.5 crores to develop infrastructure facilities in 50 acres at Jaganathagattu of Kurnool. The first government budget and the additional funds were allocated for the year 2021-22. The block grant was given for 2020-23 on par with the other universities. Presently, the Cluster University has established the Examination Branch and decentralized the academic and administrative responsibilities by appointing the co-ordindators with various functionalities such as skill development, community development, examinations programmes. The Govt. of AP has given Help-line centre for UG admissions through OAMDC-2023. Both UG and PG admissions are going through the Cluster University to the three constituent colleges for the last academic year.

Cluster University Concept:

University Grants Commission (UGC) decided to promote the concept of establishing Cluster College Universities across the country during the 12th Five Year Plan period. This would minimise the burden of existing State-run Universities in inspecting and affiliating colleges of the existing universities. The concept of Cluster Universities will provide an opportunity to students to join higher education within the state instead of getting trapped in the hands of the unrecognised institutes outside. The government is committed to making education a round-the-clock affair and which will help in expanding access to higher education by increasing the gross enrolment ratio. The Cluster University concept is ‘a step towards giving motion to education.’ The concept of cluster universities aims to promote cutting-edge research and to create outstanding conditions for young scholars at universities, to deepen cooperation between disciplines and institutions, to strengthen national and international cooperation of research. It shall serve as a platform for communication, collaboration and co-operation that will optimize scarce resources as well as free students from the autocracy of boundaries and the constraints of location using emergent IT tools. The concept combines the best in traditional systems with the new opportunities for knowledge enhancement. The plan will bring benefits to all stakeholders with its expected outcomes.

Establishing the College Cluster Universities is by clustering a minimum of 3-5 colleges in the area surrounding a city or in a district giving the university its own independent establishment, degree granting powers and governance. Apart from this, the University Grants Commission has also decided to establish 800 constituent colleges in the existing universities. With these innovative approaches to provide access to higher education, the UGC is planning to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 10 per cent from the current GER to 23.5 – 27 per cent. Enhancing quality in Universities or Model Degree Colleges is to upgrade their academic infrastructure and provide better teaching-learning environment to students. Component 1 provides upgradation of an autonomous college in a university, Component 2 allows creation of a university by conversion of 4-5 colleges in a cluster, Components 4 and 8 provide for Enhancing Quality and Excellence in select State Universities and Autonomous Colleges, and Component 10 on Research, Innovation and Quality Improvement. (Subject to adherence to RUSA norms).

The Cluster University concept is new and is dedicated to students who want to discover and learn new things regardless of the field/branch/discipline they are in. Currently, educational institutions follow the structure of single-stream education. Generally, what happens is that a student who has taken a major is allowed to study relevant subjects. The student can’t opt for subjects from other majors. This may restrict students to widen their thinking and learning capability. Sometimes out of a will to learn, sometimes to enhance knowledge, students may wish to adopt the “out-of-the-box” thinking.

Innovative steps to higher education is the need of the hour and the UGC has come up with new suggestions to cluster colleges in groups to share their resources for better prosperity of the students and teaching community and also it is of the opinion that higher education is not a luxury affair for academia as well as for the policy makers and it has to be pursued earnestly with a lot of application oriented research and development.

Cluster University for Future-Ready Campuses:

With the introduction of Cluster University, the single-stream approach of teaching-learning will be ruled out. All the educational institutions including the ones that are offering professional degrees will be transformed into a rationalized architecture that is popularly being referred to as-multidisciplinary Higher Education Institution (HEI) clusters or knowledge hubs by the year 2030.The Cluster University will head 3,000 or more students and allow them to choose subjects and courses that interest them. The university will allow a vast number of institutions such as-Teaching-intensive University, Research intensive University and Autonomous Degree Colleges. Thus, students don’t need to stress on anything during their learning journey and can explore their passion for innovation.

Chief benefits of Cluster University:

A University management system can be integrated to multiply the productivity, efficiency, and final learning outcomes.

More Space for Student-Teacher Collaboration:

With Higher Education Institutions getting merged to form a large unit, there would be more space for better student-teacher collaboration. Students who are genuinely interested in learning a particular course would come together helping faculties to achieve better student learning outcomes.

Inculcating Leadership Qualities among Students:

Students would be more confident as they pursue their choice of subjects. They would get an open field to polish their skills and also develop new ones. Thus, the process would ultimately lead to the inculcation of leadership qualities among the students.

Fewer Resources and More Expertise:

Students would be able to learn under a single entity. In a nutshell, Cluster University is an excellent concept to boost the students’ strengths and empower them with a valuable career. It can be considered the one-size-fits-all educational approach to serve every student aiming to push their limits and “achieve the unachievable!” or unlock the locking things in the nature (research activities). A student or a teacher or educator is able to reap these benefits once it gets implemented on a full scale.