The institute was established in October 1986 by Directorate of Technical Education under the Government of Kerala.

In 2012, Careers360, a magazine promoted by Outlook Group, ranked it among the best engineering institutes in Kerala with AA+ rating.

The institute has an annual intake of 330 students (under five four-year graduate courses), on merit basis through the All Kerala Common Entrance Examination.

GCEK has a training placement cell for campus recruitment and a Parent-Teacher Association.

The ECE department has an electronics fabrication laboratory consisting of laser cutters, 3d printers and accessories where students can do their projects.

K. Karunakaran, Chief Minister of Kerala on 7 January 1987 at a function presided over by Sri.

Silver Jubilee celebrations started with Xplore 2011, a national-level technical and cultural festival.

On 22 January 2012, Sri James Mathew MLA laid the foundation stone of Silver Jubilee Gate sponsored by the Alumni association and PTA and is expected to finish by March 2012.