Purnea University, Purnia was carved out of Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University, Madhepura on the 18th March 2018 by an act of Bihar Assembly which was notified in Bihar Gazette (Ashadharan) on the 17th August 2016 under Bihar State University Act (BSU ACT 1976) amended under section 3(1) of Bihar Act 23, 1976 and called the Bihar State Universities Amendment Act 13, 2016. The nomenclature 'Purnea University' has sprung from the name of the Purnea district itself. Purnea University is formed to cater to the needs of higher education of Purnea Division spread over four districts namely Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar. The university envisions to become a globally acclaimed academic and research institution that will inspire meaningful transformations to ensure holistic growth and development of the society. The mission of this university is to generate a community of scholars for best teaching and learning practice around the world, to inculcate in the learners ethical, ecological and economic issues of knowledge, to provide knowledge-based scientific solutions and to satisfy the needs of society and industry. The university is committed to become a centre of  world-class excellence in education in the coming years. At present, University runs in the campus of Purnea College, Purnea but very soon it will have its own campus in which offices, residences, spaces for sports and cultural activities, Academic & Administrative blocks, Conference Halls, Examination Halls, Libraries, Laboratories, Guest Houses, University Health Care Centre, Hostels, Canteen, Yoga and Dhyan Kendra, Information and Communication System (ICS) cell, Training & Placement Cell, International Affairs Cell and all other basic amenities will be available. Currently, Purnea is a centre of education in the north-east Bihar region. Purnea University comprises of 15 constituent colleges, 32 affiliated colleges including B.Ed, Engineering, Management and law colleges spread across the Purnea Division.