The idea of utilizing science & technology with a wider reach to achieve faster development in the country necessitated the establishment of S&T institutions at the State level. Kerala is the first State in the country which created a State Committee on Science & Technology headed by a scientist/technologist, as Chairman. The first State Committee on Science and Technology (STEC) in India was constituted by Government of Kerala on 29th May 1972 and first Science and Technology Policy resolution in the India was unveiled in 1977 by the Government of Kerala.

The Electronic Research and Development Center (ER&DC) was established under STEC in 1974.  In 1975 The Kerala Forest Research Institute was established. The Srichitra tirunal Institute for Medical sciences Technology (SCTIMST) and National Transportation Planning and Research Institute (NATPAC) was established in 1976. The Centre for Water Resource Development and Management and Center for Earth Sciences were established in 1978. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute were established in 1979. In 1993 the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for biotechnology was brought under the STEC.

The Separate Department for Science, Technology and Environment was created in 1987. A technical secretariat was also established. With the creation of the department and technical secretariat, the State Committee on Science Technology and Environment (STEC) could expand its activities in diverse fields and impart S&T inputs to line departments for solving their problems. Over the years, the R&D centers under STEC umbrella have built up an impressive record of achievements to create a suitable research environment in Kerala.

The Advancement in Science and Technology coupled with liberalization of the economy and progressive globalization has brought in new challenges to the Science & Technology sector. To cope with the emerging scenario, the Government of Kerala took a timely and pro-active step by restructuring State Committee on Science Technology and Environment to Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment. The council came in to existence on 21st November 2002 as a registered society under the Travancore – Cochin Literary scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act 1955. The R&D Institutes namely Centre for Earth Science Studies, Rajiv Gandhi Centre of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Centre for Water Resource Development and Management, National Transport Planning and Research Centre and Kerala Forest Research Institute were amalgamated fully with KSCSTE for their integrated development.