National Institute of Technology Durgapur, formerly Regional Engineering College Durgapur, was established by an Act of Parliament in 1960 as one of the eight such colleges aimed to function as a pace setter for engineering education in the country and to foster national integration. It is a fully-funded premier Technological Institution of the Government of India and is administered by an autonomous Board of Governors. In addition to the normal intake, the Institute reserves few intakes for the foreign students who are nominated by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Government of India. The Institute is a University which awards Bachelor of Technology, Master in Computer Application, Master in Science, Master in Business Administration, Master in Technology and Doctorate of Philosophy degrees. The Institute imparts education in the disciplines of Biotechnology, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Earth and Environmental Studies, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Humanities and Social Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. As decided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The institute was declared as Deemed University status on 3rd July, 2003 and subsequently, honoured as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India on August 15, 2007.

The city of Durgapur is recognized as one of the fastest developing Tier–II cities in the national scenarios. Durgapur is situated at a distance of about 180 KMs from Kolkata, West Bengal. It is located right on the major railway and expressway (NH-2) connecting Kolkata to Delhi.