J.M.J. (Jesus Mary Joseph) College for Women, Tenali is one of the many educational institutions, established by the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus Mary Joseph (Society of J.M.J.) inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ. Rev. Fr. Mathias Wolff S.J. founded the Society of the J.M.J. in the year 1822 in the Netherlands, to meet the most felt need of the time; i.e.., education of the young girls. Spreading far and wide, the Society established its first branch in India, Andhra Pradesh, Guntur in 1904. From then onwards education is one of the major apostolate of J.M.J. Sisters.

Sr. Stanislaus Swamikannu Pillai is the architect of J.M.J. apostolate of Education in India. J.M.J. College is a Catholic Christian Minority Institution, registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.

To meet the higher education needs of the Society, especially the economically, socially backward and rural girls, the J.M.J. Sisters established a Degree College in Tenali then a rural area, in July 1963.