Bhubaneswar, February 16: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC), to strengthen research and capacity building in mining and earth sciences.
The Gujarat Mineral Research Industrial Consultancy Society (GMRICS), a research society established by the GMDC has signed the agreement with the IIT Bhubaneswar here in presence of rof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy), IIT Bhubaneswar, and Dr. D. K. Sinha, CEO, GMDC.
The collaboration was made to foster long-term academic and research collaboration in the areas of geology, mining, mineral exploration, and allied earth sciences, officials said.
Under this five-year agreement, the pact with IIT Bhubaneswar will establish a strategic partnership in research, education, and training, with emphasis on collaborative research projects, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and skill development in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
GMRICS, which undertakes advanced research in geology and mining—including mineral reserve assessment, identification of mineral-rich zones, market research, and database development—will provide opportunities for industrial training, internships, field-based research, and hands-on exposure for students of IIT Bhubaneswar.
Students may pursue research leading to B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. degrees on topics relevant to exploration and mining activities, the officials said.
As part of the collaboration, experts from GMRICS/GMDC and its associated centres, such as the International Centre of Excellence in Mining Safety and Automation (iCEM) and the International Centre for Entrepreneurship & Technology (iCREATE), will deliver specialised lectures, training programmes, and practical demonstrations for students and faculty.
IIT Bhubaneswar, an Institute of National Importance, will contribute its academic and research expertise in geology, mining and mineral engineering, critical minerals, analytical chemistry, and geophysical surveys.
The collaboration will also focus on joint research initiatives in critical mineral exploration, particularly in regions of strategic importance such as Gujarat and Odisha, including deposits like Ambadongar (REE) and Ambaji (Cu–Pb–Zn).
This collaboration is expected to strengthen industry–academia engagement, advance applied research, and contribute to sustainable mineral development and human resource capacity building in the mining and earth sciences sector.
The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. R. K. Singh and Dr. Bankim Chandra Mahanta from the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences; Dr. Srikant Gollapudi, Professor-in-Charge (Career Development Cell), IIT Bhubaneswar; Lt. Gen. Sanjeev Kumar Sharma(Retd.), Head (Project Planning & Administration)–Odisha; Shri Janardan N. Dave, General Manager (Power); Shri Rajeev Parekh, Deputy General Manager (HR) from GMDC; and members of GMRICS.
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