About the College : Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Shimla
Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya (RKMV) is a premier institution with B+ grade by NAAC and a College of Excellence as projected by the H.P. Government. It is the only government college for girls in Himachal Pradesh. Situated on Elysium Hill in the vicinity of Longwood on one side and Lakkar Bazaar on the other, the college’s location is one of the best sites of Shimla.
History
Glorifying the congenial surroundings of the Hill where RKMV is located, Sir Edward John Buck the author of “Shimla: Past and Present” writes, “this Hill is neither scorched in summer, nor frozen in winter”. The place was named ‘Elysium’ in 1838 after one of the Lord Auckland’s sisters. It is a Greek word and it means “Paradise or a delightful place”.
RKMV has a long and noteworthy past. It was housed in a commodious building which in 1850s was The Elysium Hotel or The Elysium lodge and belonged to the Roman Catholic Society. It was used as a school for boys and girls, but in 1856 the boys were moved to Mussoorie and the girls to Chakrata. The lodge or house was afterwards rented to various tenants, and the estate. Among the notable tenants were Sir George Greaves and Sir William Elles, who successively held the appointment of Adjutant-General in India. In 1893 Major Kemp purchased the property for the purpose of running a dairy farm, and lived in it till 1900, when it was passed into the hands of Mr. Harington, formerly Agent and Chief Engineer of the Kalka-Simla Railway.
At the time of partition of India in the year 1947 the house was owned by Messrs Hussain Bux and Company who had a tailoring establishment at Scandal point on the Mall. Later it became the property of Raja Padam Chandra of Jubbal. Raja Padam Chandra was a great educationist and philanthropist and for the welfare of society he donated this building for higher education. In 1945, a Degree College was started in the memory of Shri Rana Padam Chandra of Jubbal. On 14 December 1957, the local Bhargava Municipal College, named after Punjab’s first Chief Minister, was merged with this under the guidelines of the then Punjab government. The institution was then renamed as ‘Rana Padam Chandra Sanatan Dharam Bhargava College’ and was affiliated to Panjab University. This college then offered all the Arts subjects for Intermediate and Degree classes and Science subjects (Medical and Non-Medical), for the Intermediate only. In addition, facilities for M.A. in Mathematics and Political Science were also started. An N.C.C. Platoon was attached to it and arrangements for the teaching of Military Science were significant additions to the curriculum.
The College was taken over by the Government of Himachal Pradesh in 1977. A year later, in 1978, on public demand, it became an exclusively girls’ college. It was then renamed as Rajkiya Kanya Mahavidyalaya. On April 1, 1994 foundation stone of the new science block and auditorium was laid by the then Honourable Chief Minister Sh. Virbhadra Singh. The Auditorium can accommodate approximately 400 – 500 audience.
Since its inception in the year 1977, RKMV has grown gradually but magnificently in every aspect. With Shri H.C. Rai as the first Principal, the college has made progress by leaps and bounds under subsequent Principals. From being a small college of 919 students in 1978, RKMV today has become a premier institution in the state with an overwhelming demand for admissions.
Current Status
During the initial years, the college offered Bachelor’s Degrees in Humanities and Sciences but very soon Commerce was also added. Apart from English Honours, Self-Financing courses, such as, BCA, B.Sc. (Honours) Biotechnology, B.Sc. (Honours) Microbiology, and courses like Computer Applications, Journalism and Mass Communication, Travel and Tourism Management, Applied Arts, Painting etc. are also being run by the college.
Sandhya Sangeet Mahavidyalaya which is affiliated to the prestigious Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth, Lucknow stands as the evening wing of the college. This popular evening centre facilitates hobby classes in dance and music for general public with minimum age of six years. It also offers a graduate level course in classical dance and music for the students and aspirants. The college also provides boarding and lodging facilities to the girls in two of its hostels. The old Sainik Girls Hostel has the capacity to accommodate 72 girls. The Tribal hostel which was inaugurated by the then Honourable Chief Minister Sh. Virbhadra Singh on 9th August, 2007 on the occasion of Women Empowerment Day has the capacity to accommodate 90 girls in 30 rooms.The overall picture of the College is one of a well-equipped institution with lecture halls, laboratories, computer labs, language lab, computerized library, auditorium, common room, gymnasium, dispensary and canteen. Besides Sports, many extension activities like NSS, NCC, Bharat Scouts and Guides, Eco club, Red Cross and Rotaract club membership are available and can also be opted for by the students as per their interest. These activities are of great importance to train the students in various soft skills besides building team spirit, discipline and a sense of responsibility and leadership.
Recently, in 2024, Master’s degree courses have been started in the college, in disciplines namely, Commerce, English, History and Political Science. In order to promote collaboration and research, the college has also signed MoUs with eminent institutions, such as, Penn State University, Pensylvania; JayPee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan; Shoolini University, Solan; HIMCOSTE; State Biodiversity Board, HP and many more. Most of the MoUs are functional and are equipping students with latest knowledge of technologies motivating and leading them to a great research career ahead.
In conclusion, the institution, over the years, has grown by leaps and bounds, reflecting it's commitment to innovation and quality and marking a journey of remarkable growth and achievement.