Magadh University enjoys the honour of being one of the largest universities in Bihar, with its 19 constituent colleges and about 39 affiliated colleges and 2 law colleges spread over the districts of Gaya, Nawada, Jehanabad, Arwal, and Aurangabad. This serene centre of learning nestles in a vast area of land in the vicinity of Bodh Gaya, the holy seat of Lord Buddha's enlightenment. It beams with the natural beauty of trees and plants of fruits and flowers, parks, and gardens studding the silver sheet of land of the university campus. Nature stands here in sharp contrast with big buildings, the stadium, pitched as well as concrete roads, and bare pieces of land that are essential to run the offices, to actuate academic activities in different post-graduate departments, to facilitate games and sports, to help smooth movement, to accord accommodation to the employees and guests, and to lend a hand to the desirable furtherance of infrastructure on the campus.
Magadh University,Bodh-Gaya, a brainchild of eminent educationist and then Education Minister of unified Bihar Shri Satyendra Narayan Singh (later Bihar CM) was established on March1,1962 and initially started functioning in Gaya town. At the behest of Shri Satyendra Babu Prof. (Dr.) Kali Kinkar Dutta, an academician & historian of international repute was aptly chosen as the founder Vice -Chancellor of the university & noted academic administrator Dr. Keshav Pd. Singh was handpicked as the first Registrar. On the personal request of the Education Minister, then respected Mahant of Bodh-Gaya math Shri Satanand Giri readily donated a huge tract of land and subsequently foundation stone for the present campus of the university was laid on August 20, 1964, by His Excellency Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the then President of India, who was showered with the epithet of the "Philosopher-King in the presence of a galaxy of luminaries. After Dr. K.K. Dutta, its founder Vice-Chancellor, Magadh University made steady and admirable progress under about three dozen academicians and administrators as its Vice-Chancellors. Some of them include Sri Zawar Hussain, Sri Rai Bageshwari Prasad, Sri Sachida Nand Prasad, Dr. Sri Krishna Prasad, Dr. Har Govind Singh, Dr. J.C. Kundra, Sri F. Ahmad, Prof. Indu Dhan, Justice S.C. Mookherjee, Prof. B.N. Rawat, Dr. Abhimanyu Singh, Dr.Shamshad Hussain, Dr. Birendra Nath Pandey, Dr. Arvind Kumar, Dr. Arun Kumar, Prof. (Dr.) Md.Ishtiyaque, Prof. Qamar Ahsan. Now the university is on the path of progress and prosperity under the most dynamic stewardship of the present Vice Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) Shashi Pratap Shahi. Magadh University imparts post-graduate teaching in 22 subjects in the faculties of humanities, social sciences, sciences, and commerce and runs a number of vocational courses like Journalism and Mass Communication, Bio-chemistry, Electronics, Environmental Science, Library Science, Women Studies, Hotel, Hospitality, and Tourism Management, Yoga, Education, Foreign Languages, Physiotherapy etc.
On its campus at Bodh Gaya. Besides, facilities for post-graduate education in different subjects and numerous vocational courses are available in several colleges of the university. Teachers and students are the soul of a university. Their advancement and enrichment constitute the real test of its worth. Magadh University has proved true to this test. The teachers of this university are dedicated to teaching with excellence, attending and regularly presiding over national and international seminars and conferences, contributing illuminating research papers to prestigious journals, and having several books published by world-class publishers. A large number of its alumni have gained great success in the fields of arts, science, commerce, law, management, athletics, education, and administration.