Public College (formerly Public College of Commerce) is a self-financing private college which was set up in the year 1985 by a few academicians of the region. It was in 1983, the idea of starting a separate commerce college nurtured in the minds of some of the faculty members of Dimapur College. A steering committee was thus formed with Shri L. Lhoutuo as Convenor and Shri G.C.Paira as President which put forward the proposal to the Education Department, Government of Nagaland for setting up of a new commerce college in Dimapur. With the efforts of Shri Kiremwati, the then Director of Education, Government of Nagaland the dream of a commerce college came into reality with the appointment of Shri H.R. Ghose Roy, a senior faculty member of Dimapur College as the Principal-in-Charge.

The college began its journey as a night college with only 5 students on its roll at premises of Dimapur College. But in 1988-89, when Dimapur College was shifted to its new campus, Public College of Commerce started its session as a full-fledged commerce college. The college was initially affiliated to North Eastern Hill University, Shillong in 1990 and then to Nagaland University in 1992. The College has been granted permanent affiliation on 22^nd March, 2002. Since then the college has not looked back and now can be considered as one of the best colleges in Nagaland so far as commerce education is concerned. Today it has well experienced & devoted faculty members who are dedicated for the cause of good education with their valuable knowledge and experience to about 600 students per session. Since its inception, the College has maintained its excellence in academic records and discipline of the students. Till 2023 (June), the College was providing B. Com General and Honours [in two groups – (i) Accounting & Finance, and (ii) Management], and computer education to students of 1^st to 4^th Semesters on different module basis semester wise. In July, 2023 the college had introduced Three Years B.A. General in English, History, Sociology, Political Science, Education, & Economics; and Three Years B.A. Honours in Education, Political Science, & Economics. In addition to B.A and B.Com Courses, the college also provide computer education to the students of 1st to 4th semester on different modules to enable the students to acquire computer skills. 

With the introduction of Undergraduate Arts Course, the management has decided to change the nomenclature of the college from ‘Public College of Commerce’ to ‘Public College’. An application was submitted to the Government of Nagaland for issue of No Objection Certificate, which has been received on 29th January, 2024 vide Higher and Technical Education Department’s Letter No. HTE/HE/NOC/1-57/2023. 

Over the period the college has endeavoured to instill in its students a love for excellence, integrity, brotherhood and the preservation of the environment in an atmosphere conducive to the awareness of God. The college has been recognized by University Grants Commission u/s 2(f) & 12(B) of the UGC Act 1956 in the year 2009. The College has completed its 2^nd Cycle of Assessment & Accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council in July, 2019.