Carmichael College, Rangpur  named after Lord carmichael, Governor of Bengal, was established in 1916. Some leading zamindars of rangpur played an important role in its establishment.

They collected Rs 750,000 for the construction of the college complex on 300 acres (121 ha) of land. Dr Watkins, a German citizen, was its founder principal. The college building, 610 feet in length and 60 feet in breadth, is a unique monument of zamindari architecture in Bengal, which reflected a nostalgic attachment of the Bengal aristocracy to Mughal architecture.

Carmichael College was affiliated with calcutta university and was permitted to open intermediate of arts and bachelor of arts classes in 1917 and intermediate of science and bachelor of science classes in 1922 and 1925. Up to 1947, thirteen subjects were taught at the college. After the Partition of Bengal in 1947, it was affiliated with the university of dhaka and in 1953, with the newly established university of rajshahi. The government of East Pakistan nationalised the college on 1 July 1963. It remained under Rajshahi University up to 1992 and later, came under the jurisdiction of the national university. At present, it is a postgraduate college offering courses in 14 subjects in the faculties of arts, social science, science and commerce. [Muhammad Maniruzzaman]