The National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka (NHRDC) was established under the NHRDC Act No. 18 of 1997 with the mandate to initiate, promote, and participate in the implementation of policies related to Human Resources Development, along with related and incidental matters. As the apex national consultative body, it initially came under the Ministry of Science & Technology.

In 2000, the NHRDC was briefly assigned to the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training, and in 2001, it was placed under the Ministry of Education & Cultural Affairs. Following a government change in 2010, it was transferred to the Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational & Technical Training. In 2015, it came under the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs. The NHRDC has been operating under the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government since 2020.