Purnea University, Purnia, was established on 18th March 2018, following its separation from Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University, Madhepura, by an Act of the Bihar Assembly. This move was officially notified in the Bihar Gazette (Ashadharan) on 17th August 2016, in accordance with the Bihar State University Act (BSU Act 1976), as amended under Section 3(1) of Bihar Act 23, 1976, which is also known as the Bihar State Universities Amendment Act 13, 2016.