Anthropology as a subject has its beginning in the century-old college since 1962, and the first batch of degree students were passed out with Anthropology as a pass subject, both in Science and Arts streams in 1965. Anthropology having practical teaching was a unique subject in the Arts stream and attracted a good number of students to opt for this subject in degree level. So it has opened its wings immediately after a couple of years with the provision of Honours teaching in 1970. With introduction of provision of field study training programme for 15 days duration in a rural /tribal area with submission of a field report was included in the Honours syllabus as a separate paper with 100 marks.

Considering the growing demand among the students for opting Anthropology in PG level the subject was opened in this college in the year 1980 with provision of 16 seats. This is the 1st college which has the distinction of having Anthropology in P.G. level in the entire State as well as there is no provision in P.G. in Anthropology under Berhampur University earlier. The students were deprived of getting opportunity to study Anthropology in P.G. level in entire South Odisha. There are two different branches of specialization namely, Social Anthropology and Physical Anthropology with provision of teaching in CBCS pattern with theory papers and practical including the submission of a dissertation by undertaking Field study training programme in a remote tribal/ rural village for each branch of specialization for a period of 30/20 days, have been introduced in the syllabus as a full paper with 100 marks.

The Odisha Government also pleased to sanction 32 seats in M.Phil courses and got affiliation from Berhampur University from the year 2013-14. From this year the Department is going to admit students in M.Phil studies.Prof. Dr. L.K Mahapatra, Professor and Head, Department of Anthropology, Utkal University, inaugurated the P.G. Department of Anthropology on 21.02.1981 under the headship of Dr Krushna Kumar Monhanti. Opening of M.Phil Courses in Anthropology was initiated by Dr. P.M Nanda, Reader and Head, P.G. Department of Anthropology and the Government has been pleased to open 32 seats in M.Phil under Berhampur University since 2014-15 sessions and the Department gained the status of Research in higher studies like M.Phil and Ph.D.

The Khallikote Autonomous College has upgraded to Khallikote Unitary University on 01.08.2021 and currently The PG Department of Anthropology comes under the said University.