IIT Bhubaneswar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Mineral Research Industrial Consultancy Society (GMRICS), established by GMDC, to advance research and capacity building in mining and earth sciences.
The MoU was signed by Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy), IIT Bhubaneswar, and Dr D. K. Sinha, CEO, GMRICS/GMDC. Senior faculty members from IIT Bhubaneswar and officials from GMDC attended the ceremony.
Under this five-year agreement, both institutions will collaborate on research, education, and training. The partnership will emphasise joint research projects, knowledge exchange, skill development, and capacity building aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
GMRICS will provide IIT Bhubaneswar students with opportunities for industrial training, internships, and field-based research. Students will gain hands-on exposure to mineral reserve assessment, exploration, and database development, with scope to pursue B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. research in mining-related topics.
Experts from GMRICS and its associated centres, including the International Centre of Excellence in Mining Safety and Automation (iCEM) and iCREATE, will deliver specialised lectures, training programmes, and demonstrations. IIT Bhubaneswar will contribute academic expertise in geology, mineral engineering, analytical chemistry, and geophysical surveys.
The collaboration will also focus on critical mineral exploration in Gujarat and Odisha, including deposits like Ambadongar (rare earth elements) and Ambaji (copper–lead–zinc). Officials said the initiative will strengthen industry–academia engagement, promote sustainable mineral development, and build human resource capacity in mining and earth sciences.
