National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI) was set up in the name of Central Instructional Media Institute (CIMI) in Chennai in December 1986 by the Government of India as a Subordinate Office under Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGE&T) with the assistance from Government of Germany through GTZ (German Agency for Technical Co-operation) as the executing agency

After the approval of the Cabinet for the Grant of Autonomous status to CIMI, the Institute was registered as a society on 1st April 1999 under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975. Since then, it is functioning as an Autonomous Institute under the Govt. of India, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Directorate General of Training (DGT), New Delhi.