However, since June 26 th ,2002 , MNREC officially was deemed a university, and is now known as Motilal Nehru National Institute of technology.

The foundation stone of the college was laid by the Late Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru on May 3 rd , 1961 , on a site spreading over 222 acres on the banks of the river Ganga . The main college was inaugurated by the Late Prime Minister Sri. Lal Bahadur Shastri on the 18th of April, 1965 .

MNNIT/MNREC came into existence to offer Bachelor Degree Programmes in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in 1961. After consolidating these courses, an undergraduate program in Computer Science was started in 1976-77. Subsequently, in the 1982-83 academic year, undergraduate programmes in Electronics Engg. and Production and Industrial Engg. were added.

Post Graduate courses were introduced in the year 1970-71 by starting M.E. Degree courses in all engineering departments. The college now offers 13 M.E. degree programs, an M.C.A. course, and registers candidates for Ph.D. degrees. The college has been recognized by the Government of India as one of ‘the' centers for quality improvement programmes in Civil and Mechanical Engg. To add a new dimension to the college, a two year / four semesters Post Graduate Degree in Management Studies was added in 1996.

MNNIT is a fully residential institution with seven hostels for boys and two hostels for girls. One hostel is exclusively for post-graduate students.

In 1972, the college initiated a project to establish an industrial estate with 68 sheds to encourage entrepreneurs and create additional avenues.