Government Polytechnic, Katihar was established in 2012 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), formly named as Department of Science, Technology & Technical Education (DSTTE) Government of Bihar, with the aim to set-up an effective technical education system in Bihar. It is affiliated to the State Board Technical Education (SBTE) , Patna. The institute possesses all the facilities necessary for it to be a centre of excellence. For excelling in academic and research, the institute has well-qualified faculty members which are recruited through a rigorous process by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC). The institute have efficient Smart Classrooms, well-equipped laboratories, a library (with reading room facility), and other amenities to improve the skill and technical level of engineers which needed to a Diploma holder. The institute provides Diploma programmes in five engineering disciplines viz. Civil Engineering (CE) with intake capacity of 120 students, Mechanical Engineering (ME), Electrical Engineering (EE), and Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE), Computer Science Engineering (CSE) with an intake capacity of 60 students in each discipline. Admissions to the 3-year Diploma courses in the institute is made through Diploma Certificate Entrance Competitive examination (DCECE), Polytechnic Engineering (PE) conducted by Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECE) in offline mode. Students have to appear in Polytechnic Admission Counselling through online mode, conducted by Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination (BCECE) board, in order to seek admission to the first year Diploma, courses based on the DCECE merit-list.