The State Institute of Physical Education for Women (SIPEW) is located in a sprawling campus which was once the residence of Warren Hasting, Governor of India and later the first Governor General of India. After independence, the property was taken over by the Govt. of India and was subsequently handed over to the Govt. of West Bengal for establishment of an educational complex devoted to women’s education. The idea started taking shape with the establishment of a teacher education college for women named Institute of Education for Women in the residential building of Hasting and the whole complex came to be known as Hastings’ House. Several other educational institutions, viz. the Multipurpose Girls’ Govt. High School, Calcutta Primary Teacher Training Institute, a Balwadi Nursery School and a Polytechnic Hostel for Women came up in the campus. In the year 1975, on the occasion of the International Women’s Year, the Govt. of West Bengal ventured into a new dimension in the field of Women’s education by establishing a women’s collage for Physical Education. The collage was named State Institute of Physical Education for Women and enjoys affiliation of the University of Calcutta. It started with the B.P.Ed programme of study with an intake capacity of 30. Mrs. Liia Dey took charge of the college, first as Office-in-charge and later as the Principal. The enrolment later increased to 75. Later on 1916 another Govt. college named Sister Nibedita Govt. General Degree College for Girls was established in the campus.

The opportunity of post-graduate education for Women under Calcutta University used to be scarce. There were only ten seats in the M.P. Ed, programme at post Graduate Training College for Physical Education at Banipur, District- North 24 Paraganas, for Women. There was a pressing need for lady teachers of Physical Education in universities and colleges particularly after the introduction of Physical Education as an elective subject at undergraduate level. In the year 2005, to mitigate the shortage of opportunity for Women for post-graduate study in Physical Education, the M.P.Ed, programme was introduced at SIPEW with 25 seats. In the year 2007, teacher education programmes came under the purview of the National Council of Teacher education (NCTE). In compliance with NCTE norms, the number of seats in the B.P.Ed, was reduced to 50 and that for the M.P.Ed, to 25. Later on college comes under NCTE New Regulation 2014 and got revised order from NCTE and annual intake increased 100 with one unit & two sections for B.P.Ed and for M.P.Ed. annual intake approved by NCTE is 40. But due to shortage of accomodation facility at Hostel college can admitted annually 30 students for B.P.Ed course and 25 students in M.P.Ed course. The B.P.Ed, degree is essential for appointment as Assistant Teacher in Physical Education in secondary schools. The M.P.Ed degree opens the door for research leading to M. Phil and Ph.D. degrees and appointment as lecturers in Physical Education in colleges and Universities. The pass rates in both B.P.Ed and M.P.Ed, at SIPEW are excellent and there has been no case of failure in recent years of any regular-student.

The college is directly under the control of the Higher Education Department of the Govt. of West Bengal. It has a clean campus in a peaceful and high profile locality of Kolkata with excellent communication facilities. It has a large playground, gymnasium; basketball courts and research equipment. It has a well equipped library. It is fully residential, boarding and lodging facilities are provided to each student under the supervision of Hostel Superintendent and Matron. Academic activities start at 6.30 A.M and continue till 5.30 P.M with breaks for breakfast and lunch. As in the case of other Government institutions, education at SIPEW is heavily subsidized and the fees are much less compared to many private institutions.

The institution has the potential of growing into an advanced of Studies in Physical Education, with support from the state Government and Calcutta University, SIPEW may introduce M. Phil, and Ph.D. programmes in future.