Calicut Regional Engineering College was started in September 1961. It is the ninth of its kind and the first one to be established during the Third Five Year Plan period. The college is a joint and co-operative enterprise of the Government of India and the Government of Kerala and is visualised as a national institution imparting quality technical education and fostering national integration. The college is governed by a Board of Governors which consists of the representatives of the Govt. of India, Govt. of Kerala, UGC, AICTE, University of Calicut, Faculty of IIT/IISc and Industrialists/Technologists in the region. The Chairman of the Board is the Minister of Education, Government of Kerala and the Secretary is the Principal. The college is affiliated to the University of Calicut.

The college imparts under-graduate technical education of four years duration leading to B.Tech degree and post-graduate education of one and half years duration leading to M.Tech degree, both in semester pattern. In addition a three year (6 semester) Master of Computer Applications (MCA) programme is also offered. The college is a recognized QIP Centre for post-graduate programmes and is an approved research centre of the University of Calicut. The college offers Ph.D programmes in all the departments. The college is situated 22km east of Calicut city on a 120 hectre area.