Jamshedpur,: In a landmark initiative to strengthen governance, infrastructure, MSME competitiveness and sustainability in Jharkhand, XLRI Jamshedpur, Jharkhand Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (JIIDCO), Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Authority (JIADA), and Invest India jointly launched 15 live projects under the Jharkhand Industrial Policy Lab.
The orientation and briefing session was hosted at XLRI Jamshedpur, beginning with an introduction by Dr. Kalyan Bhaskar, Associate Professor (Strategic Management), and welcome remarks by Prof. Dr. Sanjay Patro, Dean (Academics), XLRI. Shri Varun Ranjan, IAS, Managing Director, JIIDCO and JIADA, unveiled the projects and articulated their vision for transforming Jharkhand’s industrial landscape.
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Team members from Invest India and EY, serving as knowledge and consulting partners, shared critical insights on execution strategies and policy relevance. The event also featured an interactive Q&A with XLRI students, providing an opportunity for direct engagement with policymakers and consultants, reinforcing the institute’s mission of combining rigorous academic learning with real-world impact.
A total of 30 student teams will engage in these projects, with some participating through an elective course on Public Policy and others through live projects supported by the Committee for Public Policy Research (CPPR), a student-driven body at XLRI. The projects are centred around enhancing the industrial investment ecosystem of the state of Jharkhand through policy and strategic reforms. Students will receive structured weekly and periodic guidance to track progress and ensure impactful outcomes.
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This marks a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, where management students will contribute directly to live projects on shaping government policy-making, setting a new benchmark for experiential learning and public policy engagement in B-schools.
Speaking on the occasion MD, JIIDCO said, “JIIDCO is glad to partner with XLRI, to launch Industrial Policy Lab, where young students are helping us co- create solutions that can drive Jharkhand’s industrial future.”
From XLRI Leadership, Prof. Kalyan Bhaskar said, “Getting to work on projects that can shape state policy and contribute to national development is a rare opportunity for students. This initiative offers immense learning, deep satisfaction, and truly reflects XLRI’s vision of working for the greater good.”
For Invest India, the National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, under the aegis of Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, the knowledge repositories created from this project will be useful for application and capacity building of state governments and government bodies, across the country to improve the industrial investment climate and ease of doing business in the regions.
The initiative provides an excellent opportunity for students to contribute directly to development of Jharkhand while enhancing their academic and professional profiles. For XLRI, it bridges the gap between academia and practice, allowing context-relevant teaching and research. For JIIDCO and JIADA, it brings some of India’s brightest minds to work on real-world challenges, contributing to the state’s growth.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks followed by a networking dinner, where students, faculty and government officials exchanged perspectives on sustainable industrial growth.
With these 15 projects, the Jharkhand Industrial Policy Lab is set to emerge as a collaborative platform for innovation, policy analysis, and implementation, showcasing how academia, government and industry can work together to drive inclusive growth.
