The State Institute of Education (SIE) was established in 1965 to provide for systematic study of problems relating to School Education under the administration of Directorate of School Education. In 1970, SIE was upgraded as State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

In 1990, the Government of Tamil Nadu created the Directorate of Teacher Education, Research and Training (DTERT) by orders wide G.O.748, Education (F2) Department, dated 04.06.1990. The SCERT was renamed as DTERT.All Teacher Training Institutions including Private Aided as well as Unaided were brought under its control.

DTERT became a separate Unit in the year 1999. The entire academic faculty in the DIETs and DTERT have been separated from the Directorate of School Education and inducted into DTERT service vide G.O.No.106, School Education Department, dated 11.03.97.As a radical step, to achieve the various educational reforms envisaged by the Government, the DTERT was upgraded into “State Council of Educational Research and Training” by the Honorable Chief Minister in the financial year 2011-12 vide G.O 83. School Education Department, dated 26.03.2012.