Assam Textile Institute, a premier institute was established by Late Rai Bahadur Kanaklal Baruah in the year 1920. Assam Textile Institute (ATI) is the only Institute, which offers courses on Textile Technology, Garment Technology and Fashion Technology under one roof. This is an unique combination since all the three courses are inter-related. It is a premier institute for textile education in North-East India and has contributed substantially in the socio-economic development of the region. The history of Assam Textile Institute started from the year 1920 when there was no technical institute in this part of the country. During the course of past decades of its existence, the Assam Textile Institute has undergone notable changes and expansions, reaching a degree of standards in textile education up to technical level.
Under the administrative control of the Industries Deptt., the institute started functioning in 1920 with one year Elementary course in Weaving with a budget of little over one hundred and fifty rupees a year. Late Rao Sahib N. M. Sundaram was appointed as the first Superintendent of the Institute in the year 1920.Initially,the Institute was housed in a rented building near historic Dighali Pukhuri Guwahati but subsequently it had to be shifted to several places around Uzanbazar, Guwahati in 1927, the institute was shifted to its present site at Ambari when construction of one big workshop building, one Boy’s hostel and the Superintendent’s residence was completed.
In 1948,the courses were strengthened by introducing one year Artisan course in place of the Elementary Course in Weaving and thus till 1955 two courses were offered with varying intake of students from 10 to 25. In pursuance of the recommendation of the Sericulture and Weaving Deptt. of the Govt. of Assam, the Government Weaving Institute was amalgamated into the present Assam Textile Institute. In 1956, A Diploma Course in Textile Technology of THREE years duration with a very limited intake of students was introduced . In 1971, the Assam Textile Institute celebrated the Golden Jubilee function marking completion of Fifty Years of its existence.
The year 1973 is the landmark in the history of the Assam Textile Institute .When it was taken over by the Education Deptt. under Administrative control of the Directorate of Technical Education. The Assam Textile Institute was declared as Polytechnic and the courses were recasted again. A four years Sandwitch pattern Semester System Diploma course in Textile Technology with an annual intake of 15 students was introduced for the first time in a polytechnic in Assam, in 1976, a Post-Matric two years Certificate course in Textile Technology have been introduced with an intake of 35 students under the NEC scheme.
The curriculum of the Diploma Course have been revised again during 1979 and the intake have been raised from 15 to 20.A master plan of the campus for construction of different new buildings in phased manner was completed by that time.
In 1982,the course was brought under the plan. During 1986,the intake of both the Diploma and Certificate course was raised from 20 to 30 for the State of Assam. The syllabus were further revised in 1987 .The course duration was further reduced to three years along with all other polytechnics.
In 2004, the two Diploma courses in Fashion Technology and Garment Technology (approved by All India Council for Technical Education under Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India) have been introduced in place of Certificate Course in Textile Technology with the intake of 20 students for each course.