The Institute has been rendering mental health care since its inception. A separate Department of Psychiatry came intoexistence in 1998 for starting of academic courses in psychiatry to meet the shortage of manpower in the region. Residenc Scheme of Government of India was started in this Institute from 2001.

The Department started the DNB course in 2006 and MD course in 2010. It has regular structured teaching programmes for the trainees as per guidelines approved by the National Board of Examinations (NBE), Medical Council of India (MCI) and Gauhati University. There are full-time faculty members in the Department to guide the trainees and keep them abreast with the latest developments in the field. The faculty also guides students of allied mental health disciplines coming from various institutions. Besides, the department currently has 9 Senior Residents attached to the 4 Units of the hospital. Visiting faculties are also invited as and when required.

The faculty and the resident doctors of the Department are providing free clinical services to the needy. They are actively engaged in various consultancy activities organized by different governmental and non-governmental organizations. The faculties also provide medico-legal services and act in cooperation with the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC), Tezpur for certification of disability.