Popularly known as NCL, a constituent member of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) India, it was established in 1950.

Dr Ashish Lele is the Director of NCL and took charge on 1 April 2021.

The interdisciplinary research center has a wide research scope and specializes in polymer science, organic chemistry, catalysis, materials chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemical sciences and process development.

NCL publishes over 400 research papers annually in the field of chemical sciences and over 60 patents worldwide.

[citation needed] It is a unique source of research education producing the largest number of PhDs in chemical sciences within India.