About Us
Tumsar is an under-developed town in Bhandara, surrounded from all the directions with thick forest ranges and hills. The city's name comes from a fish, "Tum", that was discovered in the area. It is approximately 6 km from the Wainganga River, 30 km from Bhandara, 95 km from Nagpur, and 65 km from Gondia. The town has several lakes. It is also known for the grain market which was established in this town by the British. The population of the town is about thirty thousand and is orthodox, conservative and rooted in superstitions. The winds of modern education and science had not touched this town till 1990s.
In such a rural area where still the primary source of income of the greater portion of population is Agriculture, it was difficult for the boys and girls of the surrounding villages to seek higher education. Only school education till matriculation was provided by the government in some of the villages. As far as boys are concerned, they could move to Nagpur to seek graduation and post graduation courses, but the girls from rural background were not allowed to go that far. It was because of this backward thinking of the parents of rural areas, thousands of girls remained unprivileged of higher education. Thus, there was an urgent need of such an institution that will impart higher education to this needy part of the population.
Keeping these rural girls at the centre-stage of importance, Shri Narayanrao Titirmare, Founder of Shri Sudama Education Society Tumsar, took an initiative of establishing a women college on 28 September, 1990, so that their all-round development might be precipitated. Shri Narayanrao Titirmare was principal of a school himself and is well aware of the need of all-round progress of the girls. He staked all he had and also sought help from the other nobilities of the town. One such noble soul, who gave a great contribution to the institution, was Shrimati Gopikabai Bhure. She donated a part of her land, around 1 acres of farmland, on which the present building and campus of the college was erected. As an acknowledgement of her contribution to the institution, the Management of Shri Sudama Education Society decided to name the institution after her name and thus erstwhile Mahila Mahavidyalaya became Shrimati Gopikabai Bhure Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Tumsar. Today, the institution is running graduation course in Arts along with Yashwantrao Chavan Open University.
Since the opening of the college in 1990, girls from and around Tumsar has given a phenomenal response and in very short period, two extra sections of the First and Second year of B.A. had to be increased because of the ample demand of admission from the girls. So presently, there are three sections of B.A. part one and two sections of part second. The strength of the college has always been over and above the intake capacity of the college.
The institution is presently facilitating a graduation course in Arts faculty and YCM Open University courses. There is full time Principal in the college and about 90% of Full Time Teachers have been appointed on regular basis. Four guest lecturers also work in the college. Today, the college imparts education in English, Marathi, History, Sociology, Political Science, Economics, Hindi, Home Economics and Physical Education.
With a view to enhance academic skills of the students, several Cultural, Social, Academic and National awakening programs are organized in the college. As per the University guidelines, National Service Scheme (NSS) department of the college organizes 7 days camp in nearby villages to inculcate the virtues of serving the society without harboring selfishness and self-centeredness. The Physical Department of the college strives hard to train the girl students in different sports and games, and encourage them to participate in the University Level and National Level Sports Competitions. It is a matter of proud for the institution that several of our girls have excelled in University and State level competitions and have also participated in National events. Several workshops in different disciplines are organized to help the students as well as teachers to keep pace with the changing times. To encourage the students to participate in the above mentioned activities and programs, the meritorious students as well as the winners are felicitated with different prizes every year by the gracious hands of invited dignitaries in an Annual Program called “Yuwa Mahotsav”.
The Teaching and Administrative Staff of the college is always keen and at a distance of hands near to hear, understand, sympathize and sort out the grievances, difficulties or personal problems of the girls. They relentlessly take pains to make the rural girls feel at home in the college and keep emotional attachments with them in order to make the girls more confident and cheerful. For this, “Women Grievance Cell” and “Guidance Committee” have been appointed in the college. A “Local Management Committee” has also been formed to keep watch, recommend suggestions and bring about improvements in the governance of the college.
In a nutshell, the institution is aimed at and is committed to fulfill its mission of imparting productive knowledge to the girls, of carving their personality development, and of fabricating an ideal student out of them by inculcating noble virtues. The institution is making every effort in the direction of making exhaustive progress of the students.
