The DIETs were envisioned in the National Policy of Education, 1986, and were created by the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development in the early 1990s to strengthen elementary education and support the decentralization of education to the district level, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Teacher Education. The vision for the DIETs that was articulated in the NPE 1986 (modified in 1992) was for a strong district institution that would support Pre-service and In-service work with teachers at the elementary education level.

            DIET Sonepur was first established as Elementary Training School in 1934. It was upgraded to Secondary Training School in 1972. It was again upgraded to District Resource Center on date. 25/05/2005.  The institution was upgraded to DIET on date. 01/12/2014.