Guru Nanak National College, Doraha was established with the efforts of Late Dr. Ishwar Singh the founder President, S. Jagjit Singh Mangat the founder Secretary and other prominent personalities of the area like Pandit Kidar Nath Sharma, S. Beant Singh the former Chief Minister of Punjab, S. Gurbaksh Singh Katani, Sh. Kewal Krishan Tandon, Sh. Krishan Chand Thapar, Sh. Om Prakash Bector, S. Jagdish Singh Gill and many others. Inspired by the teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Devji and dedicated to the 5th birth centenary of the great Guru, this College was established in the year 1974 to open the doors of higher education to the common people living in this small town and the rural interior. The campus spread over 17 acres of land was allotted in 1971 by the efforts of S. Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab. The Foundation Stone of the college was laid on 8th of September 1972 by Giani Zail Singh, former President of India and Chief Minister of Punjab at that time.

To begin with it was purely an arts degree college. But in response to the changing aspirations and needs of the people of the area aimed at the economic, social and cultural growth of the nation, Commerce, Computer Science and Science streams??were added in the years 1985, 2001 and 2010 respectively. At present the college is imparting education in Humanities, Commerce, Computer Science, Business Administration and Science Streams. With the vision and missionary efforts of Dr. Ishwar Singh; the commitment of the present management lead by Mrs. Roop Brar as the President and Harpratap Singh Brar the General Secretary; the leadership of the former principal S. Jaswant Singh Gill the director and hard work and dedication of the staff; the college has grown to be a multifaculty, postgraduate, co-educational institution with a separate wing for girls. Earning the confidence of the parents, during this session the college admitted more than 1750 students among whom about 1000 are girls.