Located on the bank of Karola river, a tributary of Teesta, in the south-eastern part of Jalpaiguri town, P. D. Women's College (accredited to National Assessment and Accredition Council with B+ grade) is the oldest institution in North Bengal imparting higher education exclusively to women. The college was founded on the philanthropy of Late Prasannadev Raikat (after whom the college is greatefully named) and his wife Rani Ashrumati Devi in 1950. Since that auspicious occasion of its foundation, the college has come a long way with rich variety of developmental work in its experience. The college with a student stregth of about two thousand boasts of enjoying an enviable position among the women's college in North Bengal in terms of the hostel facilities (3 hostels with intake capacity of 253 boarders), the number of books accessible to students from its library and in inspiring the all round development activity in the students paving their path for self realization, and above all, in the greater performance of students in the university examinations in recent years. The college has been striving to provide assistance for student enrichment in the campus and to facilitate their progression through the co-curricular activities - NSS and NCC being the two important wings geared towards these. The college, of late, has founded a Nature Club, a Grievance Redressal Cell, a Health Care Unit for ensuring the much needed support to the students in the campus.

The college caters to the need of the large section of economically and educationally backward scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students for higher education without compromising with the standard. With the objective of benefiting from a living and meaningful interaction with the students of the past, the college has also formed an Alumni Association. With all the changes afoot, the college is now gearing up for meeting the newer challenges of higher education and is putting its first, quick foot forward.