Government of India decided to establish Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) under the Quality Technical Education Policy to foster national integration and impart quality technical education across the country.

REC Silchar is officially established as the 15th Regional Engineering College in India, representing the flag bearer of Northeast India.

The first batch of students was admitted to the BE program in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering with an intake of 60 students.

The first batch of BE students from REC Silchar was awarded their degrees.

New departments were started: Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (1983) and Computer Science and Engineering (1987).

REC Silchar shifted its affiliation from Gauhati University to Assam University.

REC Silchar was transformed into National Institute of Technology, Silchar with the status of a Deemed University, following the AICTE and UGC recommendations.

The first convocation of NIT Silchar was held.

The Government of India declared NIT Silchar as an Institute of National Importance through the National Institutes of Technology Act, 2007.