Netaji Subhas Open University is the premier State Open University in India. The year 1997 was the birth centenary year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Chief Minister of West Bengal made an announcement at a State function that an Open University would be set up soon and dedicated to Netaji's hallowed memory. The Higher Education Minister, Govt. of West Bengal spearheaded the idea after his visit to the Open University in U.K. Under his instruction was set up a ten-member steering committee headed by late Dr. Bhaskar Ray Chowdhury, former Vice-Chancellor of Kolkata University.

Following this, a State Act (W.B. Act (XIX) of 1997 and Recognised by U.G.C.) was passed on the 20th August 1997 in favour of opening a University for imparting Distance Education. Netaji Subhas Open University was established by bifurcated Netaji Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) and in terms of the Act of West Bengal State Legislative Assembly and is housed in Historic building of Sri Sarat Chandra Bose, elder brother of Netaji. The University started functioning with effect from July 1998 Semester, only with the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Arts & Commerce to provide an opportunity of higher education in the vernacular medium to various disadvantaged groups of aspiring learners. It is the tenth Open University of the country and the ninth State Open University.