IIM Sambalpur partners with MCL to train 500 officers in AI and machine learning

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has partnered with mahanadi coalfields limited (MCL) to train 500 company officers in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), in a move aimed at bringing more technology-driven practices into the coal sector.

The two organisations recently signed an agreement under which officers from different departments at MCL will undergo specialised training in AI and ML. The programme is expected to help improve operational efficiency, business development, and process management within the company.

The agreement was signed by shri Keshav Rao, director (HR), MCL, and Mahadeo Jaiswal, director, IIM Sambalpur, in the presence of senior officials from both institutions, including shri Uday Anant Kaole, CMD, MCL, and Shikha Bhardwaj, chairperson of executive MBA at IIM Sambalpur.

IIM Sambalpur's AI, ML Programme 2026

The partnership is being seen as an important step towards preparing MCL’s workforce for rapid digital transformation in the mining and energy sectors. Through the programme, officers will be introduced to practical applications of AI and machine learning that can support better decision-making and smarter operational systems.

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Speaking about the collaboration, Mahadeo Jaiswal said, “IIM Sambalpur is committed to driving innovation-led management education and building future-ready leaders for the AI era. This partnership with MCL reflects our shared vision of leveraging AI and Machine Learning to transform organisations through knowledge, technology-driven growth, and strategic capability building.”

The institute also highlighted that it has already integrated AI education across all functional areas for its students, making it one of the first management institutions to adopt AI-focused learning on such a large scale.

Aims to modernise coal operations

For MCL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, the collaboration comes at a time when industries are increasingly turning towards digital technologies to streamline operations and improve productivity.

Officials associated with the initiative said the training programme would help officers understand how emerging technologies can be used in core business functions, operational planning, and administrative systems.

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The collaboration also underlines the growing role educational institutions are playing in helping industries adapt to technological change through executive learning and specialised skill-development programmes.

Innovation and technology

Over the past few years, IIM Sambalpur has been actively expanding its focus on innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and technology-led education. The institute’s permanent campus, spread across around 200 acres, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024.

Apart from its flagship MBA programme, the institute offers courses in business analytics, fintech management, data science & AI, executive MBA, and doctoral studies. It has also launched initiatives to support startups, promote sustainable development, and encourage entrepreneurship in the region.

With this new collaboration with MCL, IIM Sambalpur is looking to further strengthen its engagement with industry while promoting the use of advanced technologies in traditional sectors such as coal and mining.