The Rabindra Bharati University was established in 1962 under the Rabindra Bharati Act of Govt. of West Bengal to honor the birth anniversary of the great legendary poet India will ever have Rabindranath Tagore The university is situated in Kolkata, West Bengal. To promote and impart the ideas of Rabindranath Tagore the university initiated its Centre for Distance and Online Education in 2002, to offer education through distance and open learning mode, which was earlier known as the Directorate of Distance Education.

The main objective of the DIstance Education at Rabindra Bharati University was to spread education via Rabindranath Tagore's vision of  Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Humanities and Social Science. The Rabindra Bharati University Distance Education was accredited with four-star status by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) in 2001 and received a Grade A reaccreditation and a 3.10 CGPA Score in February 2016. 

The Rabindra Bharati University Distance Education offers various courses such as Undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral level programs in multiple specializations that are valid and approved by the University Grants Commission and Distance Education Council. The university has its main three campuses located at BT. Road, Jorasanko Campus, and Salt Lake Campus.