The present Department of Biochemistry is renamed in 2005 from the Department of Biochemistry and Agricultural Chemistry that was developed from the erstwhile Chemistry and Biochemistry section which was bifurcated in 1982-83 from the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science under Faculty of Agriculture. The present department came into existence in 1986 with the following mandates :
1. 1. To train students and develop special aptitude for tackling biochemical problems related to agriculture
2. 2. To conduct basic and applied biochemical research for solutions to problems in agriculture
3. 3. To impart training in the use of biochemical tools and techniques to students and agricultural scientists from other disciplines
The department is offering UG courses to BSc (Hons.) Agriculture), BSc (Hons) Community Science and BSc(Hons) Food Nutrition and Dietetics students. Besides, the department is currently helping in carrying out UG biochemistry teaching in College of Sericulture. It is also offering elective Biochemistry courses to BSc (Hons) Agriculture degree programme. For PG teaching, the department has the collaboration with other departments like Agricultural Biotechnology, Horticulture, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Food Science and Technology Programme, Plant Pathology, Crop Physiology and Tea Husbandry and Technology. During this period from 1986 to 2025 , as many as 107 students obtained their masters degree and 14 students completed PhD programme from the department.
The priority wise identified research programmes of the department are :
1. Biochemical evaluation of crop germplasm of NE India
2. Biochemical characterization of economic plants of NE India
3. Exploration of novel phytochemicals of commercial importance
4. Biochemical basis of biotic and biotic stress in plants
5. Post-harvest biochemistry of food crops