The institute was established in a limited scale and capacity by Late Sri Jibeswar Baruah long ago in 1947. Subsequently, prominent artist Late Dr. Sobha Brahma took the charge of the institute and under whose commitment, dedication, and guidance, the Institution moved towards a valid direction. In 1970, the institute was provincialized as the Govt. School of Art & Crafts. The Art school then offered 5 yr Post- Matric 'Diploma in Fine Arts' Course. In 1990, the school was upgraded to a Degree College under the Gauhati University. The college was offering the Bachelor Degree in Fine Art (BFA), conferred by the Gauhati University upto 2022-23 academic session. The college, from 2023-24 academic session is offering four (4) years (8 semester) Bachelor of Visual Art (BVA) degree under the Gauhati University. At present,  it is the sole Government College of Visual Art education in the state of Assam. Today the College is privileged to have the service and association of several eminent artists and scholars who with their personal visual experience and artistic enlightenment has also richly contributed to the present status of the College.