University of North Bengal was formed in the year 1962 by Act of the Legislature of West Bengal and the university was assigned the duty of providing training, teaching and research in different branches of learning. The university was set up to promote the distribution of knowledge for the purpose of fulfilling growing technical and socio-economic manpower requirements of the local districts.

The university is situated in the Terai region of Darjeeling district and is 9km outside Bagdogra Airport and Siliguri; it is spread over an area of 330 acres. Under the West Bengal Act 1981 the University Act was revised and the change was brought into force from the 16th of September 1981. After this, the university was re-accredited with B++ status by NAAC. The district-wise list of colleges affiliated to the university is given below:

Darjeeling District:

• Darjeeling Govt. College

• St. Joseph’s College

• Loreto College

• Sree R.K.B.T. College

• Salesian College, Sonada

• Sonada Degree College, Sonada

• Kurseong College

• Kalimpong College

• Siliguri College

• Siliguri College of Commerce

• Siliguri Mahila Mahavidyalaya

• Kalipada Ghosh Tarai Mahavidyalaya, Bagdogra

• Siliguri B.Ed. College, Kadamtala

• Bijanbari College

• Surja Sen Mahavidyalaya, Siliguri

• Cluny Women’s College, Kalimpong

• Mirik College

• Gyan Jyoti College

• Ghoom-Jorebunglow Degree College

Jalpaiguri District:

• Anandachandra College

• Ananda Chandra College of Commerce

• P.D. Women’s College

• A.C. Training College

• Alipurduar College

• Vivekananda College

• Sukanta Mahavidyalaya, Dhubguri

• Falakata College

• Parimal Mitra Smriti Mahavidyalaya

• Jalpaiguri Law College

• Birpara College

• Sahid Kshudiram Mahavidyalaya

• Maynaguri College

• Nani Bhattacharya Smarak Mahavidyalaya

• Eastern Dooars B.Ed.College

• Falakata B.Ed. College

• North Bengal St. Xavier’s College

Cooch Behar District:

• A.B.N. Seal College

• Cooch Behar College

• University B.T. & Evening College, Cooch Behar

• Tufangang Mahavidyalaya

• Mathabhanga College

• Dinhata College

• Post Graduate College of Physical Education for women, Dinhata

• Netaji Subhas Mahavidyalaya, Haldibari

• Thakur Panchanan Mahila Mahavidyalaya

• Mekhliganj College

• Sitalkuchi College

• Baxirhat Mahavidyalaya

• Cooch Behar B.Ed. College

• Dewanhat Mahavidyalaya

Uttar Dinajpur District:

• Raiganj College (University College)

• Raiganj B.Ed. College

• Surendra Nath Mahavidyalaya

• Islampur College

• Kaliyaganj College

• Agrasen Mahavidyalaya

• Dr. Meghnad Saha College

• Moulana Abul Kalam Azad Teachers Training College

Dakshin Dinajpur:

• Balurghat College

• Balurghat Mahila Mahavidyalaya

• Gangarampur College

• Dewan Abdul Gani College

• Balurghat Law College

• Balurghat B.Ed. College

• Gangarampur B.Ed. College

• Buniyadpur Mahavidyalaya

Malda District:

• Malda College

• Malda Women’s College

• Govt. Teachers’ Training College, Malda

• Gour Mahavidyalaya

• Chanchal College

• Samsi College

• South Malda College

• Kaliachak College

• Pakuahat College

• Gazole Mahavidyalaya

• Satish B.Ed. College

• Vivekananda Teachers’ Training College

Sikkim District:

• Govt. Degree College

• Govt. Law College

• Damber Singh Degree College

• Loyola College of Education

• Namchi Degree College

• Himalayan Pharmacy Institute

• Harkamaya College of Education

• Pakim Palatine College

• Govt. College Rhenock, Sikkim

University of North Bengal is playing a revolutionary role right from its inception in inculcating scientific attitudes and spreading higher education in the rural areas coming under its jurisdiction. Not only students from local areas, but also students from adjoining areas of North eastern states and from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan are joining the university every year.

The university has 23 departments grouped into two faculties namely law & commerce faculty and science & arts faculty. The university has offered affiliation to different centers like centre for women’s studies, tea management, Himalayan studies, mass communication, remote sensing application, cosmic ray & high energy, development studies, marketing management, tourism and hotel management and studies in local culture and languages.