On the recommendations of Engineering Personnel Committee (EPC) set up by the Planning Commission in 1955, eight Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) (two in each regions - east, west, north & south) were set up in early sixties as joint and co-operative ventures of the Central and State Governments concerned with a view to provide the required technical manpower for the industrial projects being contemplated during the 2nd Five-Year Plan (1956-61). These institutes were registered as autonomous bodies under the Society Registration Act 1860 and affiliated to the State Universities in their respective regions. Gradually Seventeen Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were established in various States as a joint and co-operative enterprise of the Central and the State Governments concerned. Each REC was to function as an all-India institution admitting students and recruiting faculty from all parts of the country. Fifty percent of the admissions of these institutions (each of which was meant to be equipped for a total annual student intake of 250) was reserved for students from States other than the one in which they are located. In addition to under-graduate courses, these colleges also offered Post-graduate courses in various fields.
The main aim of setting up these RECs was to create the required technical manpower by providing undergraduate education and training in different branches of engineering & technology. Further, the RECs were also envisaged to function as pace setters and to provide academic leadership to the technical institutions in their respective regions.
In 2003, the Seventeen erstwhile Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were rechristened as National Institute of Technology (NITs) and taken over as fully funded institutes of the Central Government and granted deemed university status. In addition, Central Government has also taken over 3 other Institutes namely Bihar Engineering Colleges, Patna, Government Engineering College, Raipur and Tripura Engineering Colleges, Agartala, and converted them into National Institute of Technology (NITs) on 28th January 2004, 1st December, 2005 and 1st April, 2006 respectively. Thus the total number of NITs has gone up to 20.
These institutes are expected to be at par with other national level technical institutes and be able to fulfill the demand of high quality undergraduate and postgraduate level of education in engineering and technology. An Act, namely the National Institute of Technology Act, 2007 has since been enacted by Parliament so as to provide a common statutory framework for all NIT.
Admission to NITs is made through the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (Jee-mains) conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Thus after enactment of a parliamentary legislation in the year 2002, these Engineering Colleges were brought under the direct control and purview of India's Central Government. In 2004, MHRD issued NIT status to three more colleges, located at Patna i.e Bihar Engineering College, Raipur’s Government Engineering College, and Agartala’s Tripura Engineering College. Subsequently in the year 2007 keeping in view their importance the Indian government declared these Engineering Colleges as Institutes of National Importance at par with much acclaimed Indian Institutes of Technology IIT’s.

List of NITs

1. National Institute of Technology, Agartala
   Tripura Engineering College, Agartala was established in 1965 and has been taken over as a fully funded Institute of the Central Government and made National Institute of Technology, Agartala with effect from 1st April 2006. The Institute offers courses at undergraduate level.
   For more details, click here: www.tec.nic.in
2. Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad
   Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College, Allahabad was established in 1961 and converted into National Institute of Technology (NIT) on June 26, 2002. The Institute offers four-year undergraduate courses in various disciplines. The Institute also offers M.Tech. & Master of Computer Application (MCA) programmes and Master of Management Studies (MMS).
   For more details, click here: www.mnnit.ac.in
3. Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal
   Maulana Azad College of Technology, Bhopal was established in 1960 and converted into an NIT on June 26, 2002. The Institute offers B.Tech. Courses of four years duration in the disciplines of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology and a five-year B.Arch. course. The Institute also offers M.Tech. courses in 24 different specializations under regular and part-time mode and also MCA and MBA courses.
   For more details, click here: www.manit.ac.in
4. National Institute of Technology, Calicut
   Regional Engineering College, Calicut was established in 1961 and converted into an National Institute of Technology on June 26, 2002. The Institute offers undergraduate courses of four years duration in the disciplines of Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering and Management, Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology and a five-year B.Arch. course. The Institute also offers M.Tech. Degree in different specializations. In addition, three-year (six-semester) MCA programme is also offered. Four new PG courses have also been started in the areas of Civil, Information Security, VLSI Design and computer controlled Industrial power. The Institute offers Ph.D. programme in all its departments.
   For more details, click here: www.nitc.ac.in
5. National Institute of Technology, Durgapur
   Regional Engineering College, Durgapur was established in 1960 and converted into an NIT, on 3rd July 2003. The Institute offers four-year undergraduate courses in various disciplines. The Institute also offers M.Tech., MBA and MCA courses. The Institute also offers hostel facility for foreign students, lecturer galleries, computer centre extension, electrical machine lab and high power lab.
   For more details, click here: www.nitdgp.ac.in
6. National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur
   Regional Engineering College, Hamirpur was established in 1985 and converted into an NIT on 26 June 2002. It offers undergraduate courses in various disciplines. B.Arch. course was started during 2000-2001. The Institute also offers postgraduate courses and Ph.D.
   For more details, click here: www.nith.ac.in
7. Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur
   Malaviya Regional Engineering College, Jaipur was established in 1963 and converted into an NIT on 26 June 2002. The Institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The institute is implementing the Project IMPACT for manpower development in Electronics and Computer Engineering funded by the World Bank, Swiss Development Corporation and Government of India.
   For more details, click here: www.mnit.ac.in
8. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar
   Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Regional Engineering College, Jalandhar was established in 1986 and converted into an NIT on October 17, 2002. It offers four-year undergraduate courses in various disciplines. National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Cell were established in The Institute for promoting Entrepreneurial culture among students by arranging various programmes.
   For more details, click here: www.nitj.ac.in
9. National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur
   Regional Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur was established in 1960 and converted as an NIT on December 27, 2002. The Institute offers undergraduate courses in various disciplines. The Institute also offers postgraduate courses and MCA.
   For more details, click here: http://www.nitjsr.ac.in/
10. National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra
    Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra was established in 1963 and converted into an NIT on 26 June 2002. The Institution is running several undergraduate courses. Institute also runs postgraduate courses. The Institute has well developed campus with fiber optic computer networking.
    For more details, click here: www.nitkkr.nic.in
11. Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur
    Visvesvaraya Regional Engineering College, Nagpur was established in 1960 and converted into an NIT on June 26, 2002. The Institute offers B.Tech. courses in various disciplines and five-year B.Arch. courses. The Institute offers M.Tech. courses and one-year diploma course. The Industry-Institute interaction Cell of The Institute strives to promote and nurture closer interaction with the industrial sector and to play a significant role in its growth.
    For more details, click here: www.vnit.ac.in
12. National Institute of Technology, Patna
    The National Institute of Technology, Patna is the Eighteenth National Institute created by the Ministry of Education, Government of India upon rechristening a new name to the erstwhile Bihar College of Engineering, Patna.
    For more details, click here: www.nitp.ac.in
13. National Institute of Technology, Raipur
    Government Engineering College, Raipur has been taken over as a fully funded Institute of the Central Government and converted into an NIT with effect from December 1, 2005. Presently the Institute offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
    For more details, click here: www.nitrr.ac.in
14. National Institute of Technology, Rourkela
    Regional Engineering College, Rourkela was started in 1961 and converted into an NIT on 26 June 2002. The Institute offers undergraduate, postgraduate MCA courses. NIT, Rourkela is the nodal centre for the National Technical Manpower Information System in Orissa.
    For more details, click here: www.nitrkl.ac.in
15. National Institute of Technology, Silchar
    Regional Engineering College, Silchar was established in 1976 and converted into an NIT on June 28, 2002.
    The Institute is offering undergraduate courses in various disciplines.
    For more details, click here: www.nits.ac.in
16. National Institute of Technology, Srinagar
    Regional Engineering College, Srinagar was established in 1960 and converted into an NIT on August 7, 2003. The Institute offers undergraduate courses in various disciplines and M.E. course. The Institute also offers M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes.
    For more details, click here: www.nitsri.net
17. Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat
    Sardar Vallabhbhai Regional Engineering College, Surat was established in 1961 and converted into an NIT on October 4, 2002. The Institute offers B. Tech. and M.Tech. courses in various disciplines. It also offers Ph.D. programmes.
    For more details, click here: www.svnit.ac.in
18. National Institute of Technology, Surathkal
    Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Surathkal was established in 1960 and converted into an NIT on June 26, 2002. The Institute offers undergraduate courses in various disciplines. The Institute also offers PG & Ph.D. programme.
    For more details, click here: www.nitk.ac.in
19. National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli
    Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirapalli was established in 1964 and converted as an NIT on July 28, 2003. The Institute offers undergraduate courses in various disciplines and a five year B.Arch. course. This Institution has also been recognized for enrolling teacher from other educational institutions for the various postgraduate courses and doctoral programmes under the Quality Improvement Programme (QIP) a scheme of AICTE.
    For more details, click here: www.nitt.edu
20. National Institute of Technology, Warangal
    Regional Engineering College, Warangal was established in 1959 and converted into an NIT on September 10, 2002. The Institute offers eight undergraduate programmes, postgraduate programmes and Ph.D. programmes in all branches of engineering, sciences and humanities. The central library of this Institute is considered to be one of the best among the technical libraries in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
    For more details, click here: https://www.nitw.ac.in

New NITs

1. National Institute of Technology, Sikkim
   National Institute of Technology, Sikkim is one among the ten newly sanctioned NITs by the Government of India in 2009 under the 11th Five year Plan. It is being established in the Barfung Block, Ravangala Sub Division of South Sikkim. It is managed by the NIT Sikkim Society registered under the Societies Act. The Institute is fully funded by Government of India under the Ministry of Education. It offers B. Tech. courses in various disciplines. NIT Calicut is the mentoring NIT of this Institute.
   For more details, click here: www.nitc.ac.in/sikkim/
2. National Institute of Technology, Goa
   National Institute of Technology, Goa was set up under the 11th Five Year Plan to cater to the needs of the State of Goa and Union Territories of Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep. NIT Karnataka, Surathkal, is the mentor NIT of this Institute. The Institute offers B. Tech programs in various disciplines.
   For more details, click here: www.nitgoa.ac.in/
3. National Institute of Technology, Arunachal Pradesh
   For more details, click here: www.nitap.ac.in
4. National Institute of Technology, Meghalaya
   For more details, click here: http://www.nitm.ac.in/
5. National Institute of Technology, Nagaland
   For more details, click here: https://nitnagaland.ac.in/
6. National Institute of Technology, Manipur
   For more details, click here: http://www.nitmanipur.in/
7. National Institute of Technology, Mizoram
   For more details, click here: http://www.nitmz.ac.in/
8. National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand
   For more details, click here: http://www.nituk.com/
9. National Institute of Technology, Delhi
   For more details, click here: http://nitdelhi.ac.in/
10. National Institute of Technology, Puducherry
    For more details, click here: http://www.nitt.edu/home/nitp/
11. National Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh
    For more details, click here: http://www.nitandhra.ac.in