The increase in intake in both Engineering and Polytechnic Institutions lead to increased faculty member recruitment. In order to provide In-service training to the various serving faculty members and Induction training to the newly recruited faculty members of the Technical Institutions, the Regional Institutes of Teacher Training (RITT) (now NITTTRs) were established by Government of India. In 1964 one of the four RITT was setup in Tharamani, Chennai. The RITT Chennai later became Technical Teachers Training Institute (TTTI). TTTIs became National Institutes and were known as National Institute of Technical Teachers' Training and Research in 2003.

NITTTR Chennai has a rich experience in conducting Professional Development Programmes (FDPs) on various areas of Engineering specialization and Engineering Pedagogical programmes. The AICTE, NBA and NAAC have recognized all the short-term training programmes conducted by NITTTR for consideration for the purpose of Instutional development, Departmental growth and movement to higher grades under the Career Advancement Scheme of the faculty members.