Inaugurated on 1931 March 2, AD (1987 Falgun 19, BS), a technical school was in operation at Basantapur (in the same place where Navaadarsha Secondary School is at) in Kathmandu. The school initially started providing textile training. From 1943 March 25, AD (1999 Chaitra 12, BS) the training for the 3-year civil engineering sub-overseer was started by recruiting the SLC passed students. The school was shifted to the Tri-Chandra Campus premises in 1945 AD (2002 BS). In 1950 AD (2007 BS) the technical school was converted into an engineering school. From 1954 AD (2011 BS) a two years overseer program was started in the Civil Engineering program in this school. Under this program, there was a provision to be a sub-overseer if only one year of training was taken. However, the training for the two-year overseas program ended after the first year was over and the second year was not even started. The program, which was closed this way, was restarted by regular admission from 1958 AD (2015 BS). In this program, the first group of Civil Overseers was produced in 1959 AD (2016 BS) even by enrolling students who were staying after completing one year of training after the program stopped in 1954 AD (2011 BS) in the second year’s course. One year thereafter, the school was shifted to Jawalakhel, Lalitpur (The place where the administrative training institute is at now). In the year 1966 AD (2023 BS) the School of Engineering was renamed as Nepal Engineering Institute. In the same year, the institution was shifted from Jawalakhel to the premises of Anand Niketan in Pulchowk and the overseer study period of two years was extended to three years. From 1971 AD (2028 BS), in addition to the civil engineering program, the electrical engineering program was started and the program period of 3 years was again made 2 years.
Under this campus, craftsman training of 9 months, 12 months and 15 months respectively were also conducted in the fields of electrical, bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing from 1971 AD (2028 BS) to 1975 AD (2032 BS). With the launch of the new education scheme, the Institute of Engineering was established under Tribhuvan University in 1972 AD (2029 BS), integrating the Nepal Engineering Institute with the Technical Institute of Engineering established in Thapathali in 1962 AD (2019 BS).
Pulchowk Campus is located on the premises of Anand Niketan where Nepal engineering institute was established. The campus has begun teaching of Certificate level of Architecture from 1973 AD (2030 BS), Radio Electronics in 1975 AD (2032 BS) and Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineering programs in 1976 AD (2033 BS). After the Bachelors level program in Civil Engineering has been started regularly from 1984 AD (2041 BS) by the Institute of Engineering’s own efforts and management Pulchowk Campus has now been running Bachelor’s level programs (B.E./B.Arch.) in the Architecture, Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace and Chemical Engineering. In this campus, in addition to the civil engineering program, Bachelor’s level studies have been started in electrical and electronics since 1994 AD (2051 BS), mechanical and architecture from 1995 AD (2052 BS), computer engineering since 1998 AD (2055 BS), aerospace engineering program from 2018 AD (2075 BS) and chemical engineering in 2019 AD (2076 BS) onwards. At present, Masters and Ph.D. programs are also being conducted on these subjects.
In accordance with the objective of conducting Masters (M.Sc.) level programs at Pulchok Campus, Urban Planning under Architecture Department and Structure Engineering under Civil Department since 1996 AD (2053 BS), Environmental Engineering since 1997 AD (2054 BS), Water Resources Engineering since 1999 AD (2056 BS), Renewable Energy Engineering, Information & Communication Engineering and Power System Engineering since 2001 AD (2058 BS), Geo-Technical Engineering since 2002 AD(2059 BS) and Sustainable Water Sanitation and Health Development since 2008 AD (2065 BS) have been started. Similarly, Master of Science in Technology and Innovation Management program since 2009 AD (2066 BS), Transportation Engineering program since 2010 AD (2067 BS), Disaster Risk Management program since 2011 AD (2068 BS), Energy System Planning and Computer System and Knowledge Engineering programs since 2012 AD (2069 BS) and Construction Management Programs since 2013 AD (2070 BS) have been started. From the year 2015 AD (2072 BS), the campus has also started Masters level studies in Energy for Sustainable Social Development, Material Science and Climate Change & Development. Likewise, Masters level studies in Energy Efficient Buildings and Mechanical System Design and Engineering have also been started since 2016 AD (2073 BS). In the same way, Masters level studies in Hydropower Engineering has been started since 2018 AD (2074 BS).
In 2002 AD (2059 BS), the second group of Ph.D. programs, which began in 1997 AD (2054 BS), were enrolled and this program has been continued since 2010 AD (2067 BS).