Sirsi taluk of Uttara Kannada district falls in the evergreen Western Ghat region of Karnataka State. The taluk is geographically most diversified and rich in flora and fauna. Sirsi is also a cultural centre. Prior to the establishment of a college in Sirsi, getting higher education for the students of Sirsi and neighbouring taluks was a distant dream to realize. In those days, the students who wanted to have college education had to go either to Hubli-Dharwad or Coastal region. The children from lower economic background had to forego higher education and suffer in poverty throughout their life.
In such a difficult situation, Sirsi Rotary Club which was started in 1959-60, as a part of its community service initiated a proposal to establish a college in Sirsi to access university higher education by the students in this educationally backward region. Along with them several organizations also came forward to support the cause. Due to the joint efforts of Sirsi Rotary Club, Totagars Sale Society (TSS), Town Municipal Council, Sirsi Urban Bank, Shri Marikamba Temple Trust, Sirsi Taluka Areca nut Growers Society, Modern Education Society (MES) came in to existence on 27th May 1961.
The then Member of Legislative Council from Sirsi, a person with lot of social concern and educationist Shri.Timmappa Hegde Motensar took a leadership to which the then Chief Minister of Karnataka State Shri.S.Nijalingappa and the then Finance Minister Shri Ramakrishna Hegde Dodmane supported him. In their period sprawling 120 acres of forest land was granted after disforestation to MES free of charge. So, first year of the college started in June 1962 with Arts and Science subjects. This first college was named as Motensar Memorial (MM) Arts and Science College as a tribute to late Shri.Timmappa Hegde Motensar. Today MES Group runs 16 educations. The institutions with their year of establishment are given below in a chronological order.