Grooming High School Students Programme By IIM Sambalpur Sets New Benchmark For Value-Based Learning

Grooming High School Students Programme by IIM Sambalpur & Sambalpur Public Library Sets a New Standard for Value-Based Learning

SUMMARY

Sambalpur, 3^rd November, 2025: One of the premier B- Schools of India, The Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur, (IIM Sambalpur), in collaboration with the Sambalpur Public Library (SPL) is pioneering a new model of community learning through its flagship Grooming Students Programme. This initiative aims to provide a holistic learning platform for high school students from the Sambalpur Municipality, fostering their all-round development.

The Grooming Students Programme is a part of the ongoing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between IIM Sambalpur and Sambalpur Public Library sharing the vision of democratizing education and extending learning beyond classrooms. Every Sunday, 45 experts including from the faculty members from IIM Sambalpur to other institutions conduct interactive sessions Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), psychological well-being, and ethical leadership.

Till now, about 40 sessions have been conducted on ethics, morality, culture, and technology, ensuring the holistic development and social awareness of students. The collaboration also promotes shared library resources and open digital learning platforms, enabling equitable access to quality education for all sections of the community.

During the occasion, Certificate Awarding Ceremony held at the IIM Sambalpur campus celebrating the contributions of these young learners and mentors. The event was graced by Shri Deepak Malviya, National Vice President, Loksevak Mandal, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, Prof. Aditya Prasad Padhi, Chairman, Sambalpur Public Library and Prof. Sumat P. Aggarwal, Emeritus Professor, South Asian University. Eminent personalities including Prof. Hrusikesh Senapty, Dr. Raseswari Panigrahi, and Dr. Narayani Panda were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their exemplary service to society.

Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, “IIM Sambalpur has redefined the role of management institutions in India through a decade of ground breaking initiatives, from being the first institute in the world to introduce AI-enabled class leave now a global model shared with institutions across the U.S., South Korea, China, and beyond. In alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 and the Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant, empowered nation, we are also creating impact at the grassroots, Business Education to Sambalpuri handloom women entrepreneurs and expanding the initiative to Koraput to groom tribal women business leaders. Thus, we can achieve ‘Viksit Odisha’ by 2036 and ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Praising the initiative by IIM Sambalpur and Sambalpur Public Library, Shri Deepak Malviya, National Vice President, Loksevak Mandal, the Chief Guest of the event, said, “True management education goes beyond business, it shapes young minds for nation-building. When rooted in ethics, spirituality and morality students will not only build careers, but they will also actively participate in social work and make India a Vishwa Guru.”

Prof Aditya Prasad Padhi, Chairman, Sambalpur Public Library, said, “ Almost 50 experts volunteer their time and resources to teach students for free. This unique initiative by IIM Sambalpur and the Sambalpur Public Library goes beyond academics, offering lessons in emotional well-being, stress management, and life skills to shape adolescent minds.”

Prof. Sumat P. Aggarwal, Emeritus Professor, South Asian University, Chief Speaker of the event stated, “Prof. Jaiswal has done excellent work at IIM Sambalpur in a short period of time. He is a special academic leader who nurtures school children and IIM students with equal care. His efforts, along with his team, are strengthening the institute’s bond with society.

As the heart of this initiative lies a New Standard for Value-Based Learning, where professors, professionals, and senior citizens come together to mentor and inspire young minds. Senior citizens also have participated in this programme and volunteered their expertise and wisdom, adding a unique intergenerational dimension to the initiative.

The initiative is a significant milestone in both the institutes’ ongoing mission to nurture and empower young learners through ethical, technological, and entrepreneurial education. Grooming Students Programme stands as a movement for inclusive and sustainable learning, and a testament to IIM Sambalpur’s vision of nation-building through youth empowerment, ethical leadership, and community-led development.

About IIM Sambalpur:

IIM Sambalpur is one of the premier management institutions in the country and is widely known for its quality education. Spread over approximately 200 acres of land, the breathtaking and spectacular permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on 3rd February 2024. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone on 2nd January 2021, via video conferencing. Furthermore, the Union Education Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, recently inaugurated the Incubation Centre, I-Hub Foundation, to promote startups and the ‘Rangavati Centre of Excellence in Cultural and Sustainable Management’.

It also has tie-ups with Flipkart, Amazon, and SIDBI to support, promote and connect regional weavers with global platforms. Equipped with sustainable practices and modernized facilities, the campus values its regional art by mapping the traditional IKAT, patterned textile-dyeing technique onto the brick façade. The institute is also leading a visionary project to make Sambalpur the first sustainable city in India. The institute is committed to providing excellent management education, harbouring a sense of entrepreneurship, and developing socially responsible leaders. IIM Sambalpur is known for its two-year flagship MBA Programme, and admissions are held via CAT. It also offers an MBA for working professionals at the Delhi Centre at ISID, Vasant Kunj, providing options for a dual-degree Programme in partnership with French universities. Furthermore, in addition to the Executive

MBA Programme, the premier institute offers a PhD, Executive PhD, Bachelor’s Programme in Data Science & AI and Management & Public Policy, and Management Development Programme (MDP). IIM Sambalpur has played a torchbearer role for other IIMs in terms of gender-diverse classrooms. To further enhance classroom engagement, the institute has integrated an AI-powered platform in collaboration with Breakout Learning Inc. to moderate and evaluate small group discussions as part of its MBA pedagogy. IIM Sambalpur cut-off is 92 percentile. IIM Sambalpur’s MBA fee is INR 13.04 Lakh, whereas IIM Sambalpur’s average package stood at INR 16.64 LPA and IIM Sambalpur’s highest package stood at INR 64.61 LPA for the 2023 batch.