In the pre-independence period the Sub-Himalayan Dooars region was mainly an area of Tea-gardens and Forest inhabited by people mainly belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled castes. The partition of the country in 1947 led to the migration of a huge number of displaced people to the Dooars areas. In 1956 under the Refugee Rehabilitation and Development Programme of the Union Government, a local committee led by Late N.K. Mukherjee moved the State Govt. and the Central Government through P.K. Mukherjee, MLA, D.N. Brahma Mandal, MLA, and Biren Katham to establish one undergraduate Degree College at Alipurduar Town. The Union Home Minister G.B. Panth urged the Chief Minister of West Bengal Dr. B.C. Roy for setting up centrally sponsored Degree College at Alipurduar. The State Govt. accorded sanction to establish the present Alipurduar College in early 1957 under the affiliation of Calcutta University. The first Principal Late B.N. Lahiri joined the new College on 01/08/1957. The College was formally inaugurated as Govt. Sponsored College on 21-08-1957 by M.M. Kushari, the D.C. of Jalpaiguri, at the Student’s Hostel of McWilliam High School which is now Alipurduar Collegiate School. About 64.48 Acres of land was Donated by the Mc. William School Authority for this College. With 201 Students, four Teachers (including the Principal) one clerk and two class IV staff the College strated functioning. Advocate H.P. Mitra was the First Secretary of the College Governing body. The Education Secretary and D.P.I. Dr. D.M. Sen laid the foundation stone of the present College Building on 03/01/1958.

In 1957, the College introduced 1st year Intermediate Arts and Intermediate Science (IA and ISc) Classes in 1957 and 1st year B.A Classes in 1958. Meanwhile B.N. Lahiri left the College and S.C. Kar joined the College as Principal on 12/04/1961. 1st year B.Sc. Classes began from 1961-62 session. In 1963 the College came under the affiliation of University of North Bengal. The B. Com Classes started in the Evening Commerce Section from 1963-64. The Commerce Stream merged with the day section of the College in 1978, as a Government Sponsored one.

Both the Boys Hostel and Girls’ Hostel of the College were established in 1962. NCC Boys unit was introduced in 1958, Girls’ unit in 1963 and NSS unit was introduced in 1975. Two separate hostels for S.C. / S.T. Boys and Girls have been set up by the Govt. on the land donated by the College. A new Girls’ Hostel under UGC Special Scheme is under construction.