The Institute was established as Sardar Vallabhbhai Regional College of Engineering & Technology (SVRCET) Surat in 1961 as one of the Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) to impart technical education. The Institute had begun with offering Bachelor Degree Programmes in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. The Government of India declared the Sardar Vallabhbhai Regional College of Engineering & Technology (SVRCET) Surat to Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) Surat with status of ‘Deemed University’ with effect from 4th December, 2002. With the enactment of National Institutes of Technology Act-2007, the Institute has been granted the status of ‘Institution of National Importance’ w.e.f. August 15, 2007.

The Institute now offers eleven (11) B.Tech. Degree Programmes, twenty-one (21) M.Tech. Degree Programmes, three (03) Five Years Integrated M.Sc. Degree Programmes in Chemistry, Mathematics & Physics, One (01) Five Years Integrated B.Tech and M.Tech Degree Programme and Master of Business Administration in Business Analytics. Institute offers Doctoral Degree Programme in Engineering, Science, Management and English. Institute also offers M. Tech (R) in all the engineering disciplines.

The Institute has been recognized by the Government of India as one of the centres for the Quality Improvement Programme for M.Tech. and Ph.D.

Institute has also established the Centre of Indian Knowledge System and Centre for the Tribal Technology Development.