National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Odisha Mining Corporation sign MoU to boost industry upskilling and technical capacity

The National Institute of Technology- Rourkela has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) for structured capacity building, technical upskilling and managerial development of professionals.

The collaboration will support joint research, innovation, digitisation and operational optimisation initiatives. The MoU was signed on Thursday by NIT-R director K Umamaheshwar Rao and OMC Director (HR) Alok Kumar Pal. It coincided with the inauguration of a three-day continuous professional development (CPD) programme for OMC professional on mineral resource management:

Technical, regulatory and strategic insights. Organised jointly by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the NIT, R's Mining Engineering department, the CPD programme was a kind of legitimate and technical training that combined mine research management's technical, regulatory and strategic aspects.

Dean (Alumni, Industry and International Relations) HB Sahu, who was coordinating the collaboration, said that the aim of the partnership is to strengthen the technical expertise and managerial capabilities of OMC professionals so that they can be able to meet the evolving demands of the mining sector.

He said that it will help promote cooperative research and innovation, knowledge, sharing on cutting edge mining technologies, sustainable and safe practices, environmental management, regulatory compliance, and the use of new digital tools to enhance overall business performance.

Pal said, “OMC plays a vital role in extracting key minerals such as iron ore, bauxite, chrome and ferrochrome, which support India’s core mineral-based industries. We are steadily transitioning from traditional mining practices to more mechanised and technology-driven operations to achieve our sustainable mining goals.

Through this knowledge partnership with NIT-R, we aim to build a high-performing and future-ready workforce, while jointly contributing to the industrial and economic development of Odisha.” Rao highlighted the state’s rich mineral base and said,

“Our region is blessed with iron ore, bauxite, coal, manganese, chromite, graphite, dolomite, rare earths and several other valuable minerals. Despite being resource-rich and contributing significantly to metal production, western Odisha region has not developed at the same pace. It is our responsibility to channelise these resources wisely for regional growth and ensure sustainable and value-added utilisation, including effective use of waste ore,” he added.