Established in 1879, Bethune College is the first women's college in India. It is a Government College under the Directorate of Education, Government of West Bengal.The College was established in order to provide opportunities of college education to Kadambini Bose -a pupil of Bethune School-who had successfully completed the entrance examination of Calcutta University in 1878.

The first classes of Bethune College were held at the premises of Bethune School. Kadambini Bose and Chandramukhi Bose -the first women graduates of India-graduated from Bethune College in 1883. Chandramukhi Bose also become the Principal of Bethune College.

At present the total roll strength of the college ( Arts and Science together) varies between 900- 1000 and the number of sanctioned teaching posts is 76.
The college is managed by a governing body appointed by the Government. Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar was the secretary of the first comittee. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, Lady Abala Basu, Sri Radha Binode Pal were among the comittee members at one time or other.

The earliest Honours Courses started in the college under the regulation of the University of Calcutta are English and Sanskrit in 1917. In 1923, the college got affiliated at the I.Sc level and Mathematics and Philosophy were added to the list of Honours subjects. Today the college has Hnours affiliation in 13 subjects.
In 1878-79the college classes began in a part of the Bethune school building but to accomodate the increasing number of students the adjacent Christ Church Building was acquired in 1940 and was renovated and overhauled and the college was shifted to the new building. The Science Building which accommodates the Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology departments was inaugurated in 1961 by Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose.