The Guwahati Regional Centre was established in 1996 with a total of 6 study centres and 35 programmes with approximately about 1100 learners, as part of an active initiative to integrate the inaccessible areas of North East India with the overall vision to democratize  education for grassroot development of India. North East India with its  unique cultural and biodiversity, multiethnicity and abysmal wealth of natural resources  reflects a paradox when viewed  through the glaring reality of its volatile  and sometime violent political affiliations. Understanding that Education can be one of the  most effective path to equitable and sustainable  development, by ensuring access and  opportunity to the unreached and marginalized Guwahati Regional Centre was envisioned to implement open and distance learning  modules for this region.  

Alligning the objectives of the GRC to the overall vision of  IGNOU has been the absolute aim for its operation in the region. Due to the spatial  and territorial accessibility  of the region as a whole, eventually the Jurisdiction of GRC was limited. Till Decemeber 2000 GRC’s jurisdiction extended beyond the borders of Assam to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim . From April 2013 in order to deal with increase in students demands, vastness and remote connectivity in Assam, and facilitate the operational purposes of the University a new Regional centre was established at Jorhat in upper Assam.

As on date Regional centre Guwahati has 30 learner support centres, 588 academic counselors   and 68 academic programmes on offer. Since establishment of Regional Centre Guwahati a cumulative total of 93429 learner have been registered with RC Guwahati.The current January 2015 academic session has registered 2109(FR) and RR 1403 with a  Total 3512 learners at GRC