A special meeting of the state cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, paved way for establishment of two new universities namely Patliputra University and Purnea University, official sources said.
Many colleges affiliated to B N Mandal University at present, would be brought under the new Purnea University.
Colleges in Patna and Nalanda, presently under Magadh University, would be attached to Patliputra University, they said.
The cabinet gave its nod to eight proposals of different departments at the meeting.
The state cabinet also gave its consent to set up a 'Bihar Samvad Samiti' which would take the government's welfare programmes to people across the state.