Way back in 1971 members of IEEE over the entire Eastern and North Eastern region of India got together to form the Eastern Regional Sub-Section of IEEE, in India. After the formation of the India Council, the Eastern Regional Sub-Section was given the name of Calcutta Sub-Section, under the Delhi Section of IEEE, India. Through the pioneering efforts of the then Chairman, the Calcutta Sub-Section was accorded the status of a full section on September 28, 1978.

Over the years, the activities of IEEE Calcutta Section increased manifold and spread through many cities and state capitals under the Section. Several Technical Society Chapters and many student branches have been formed. Currently the Section has sixteen chapters and three affinity groups. There are more than forty student branches now and this figure is continually on the rise. The Section maintains a healthy student to member ratio and works closely and coherently with its chapters and affinity groups not only in technical, education and membership development activities but also in outreach activities which a major focus of the section.