It was inaugurated on the 31st of January, 1958, by Desh Ratna Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the First President of India. Later it was made a statutory autonomous body through legislation on the 8th of October, 1964 under the A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies Act 1964 by the Govt. of Bihar. The Institute is governed by the Board of Control and funded by the Department of Education, Government of Bihar and Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) through the Ministry of Education, Government of India.