CAPXCHANGE 2026 on Infocus Odisha: How AI Is Reshaping Finance Education at RCM

Infocus Odisha‘s media coverage of CAPXCHANGE 2026 — the two-day Finance Conclave hosted by Regional College of Management (RCM), Bhubaneswar on 18–19 September 2026 — captures faculty and student voices on a single, consistent theme: finance education can no longer stay confined to textbooks. Artificial Intelligence, data analytics and hands-on financial modelling are becoming as central to a finance classroom as accounting principles once were.

In this coverage, RCM’s Additional Director Dr. Shraddha Padi and Prof. Satyanath Mahapatra from the Department of Finance explain that the conclave was built around AI in finance, data analytics, financial modelling and experiential learning, moving students from theory toward real-world financial decision-making. MBA finance student Ankita Das adds a participant’s perspective on the conclave’s focus on sustainability and practical exposure.

This article looks specifically at what the coverage reveals about AI in finance, experiential learning and financial modelling — not at a full event rundown, which readers can explore on the official CAPXCHANGE 2026 conclave page.

AI in Finance: Why Finance Education Is Changing

AI in finance refers to the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics to support financial analysis, forecasting and decision-making. In the coverage, Prof. Satyanath Mahapatra notes that the introduction of AI and machine learning has changed the business world so significantly that knowledge alone is no longer enough — professionals now need direct exposure to how these tools work in practice.

Dr. Shraddha Padi echoes this, pointing out that students need to understand platforms, AI tools, data analytics and financial modelling together, rather than as separate, disconnected topics. This is the same thinking behind RCM’s specialised tracks in AI and Machine Learning under MCA+, where students build technical depth in the tools now shaping finance and other industries.

From Finance Theory to Experiential Learning

Experiential learning in finance means learning by doing — working with real data, real cases and real decision-making pressure instead of only reading about concepts. Dr. Padi states plainly in the video that finance cannot remain “monotonous and theoretical,” and that students must gain knowledge through direct experience and interaction across colleges and faculties.

Prof. Mahapatra reinforces this by explaining that today’s job market does not reward knowledge that hasn’t been tested through experience — skills cannot be learned from the internet alone. RCM’s MBA+ and PGDM+ formats are designed around this same principle, layering specialised, applied tracks on top of core management education.

Financial Modelling and Technology-Based Learning

Financial modelling is the process of building structured, data-driven representations of a company’s financial performance to support forecasting and investment decisions. According to the coverage, RCM’s Financial Modelling Competition gave participants realistic, real-world data and asked them to build forward-looking models using Power BI, a widely used data visualisation and analytics tool.

This kind of modelling work draws directly on skills taught in RCM’s Data Science and Business Intelligence specialisation under PGDM+, as well as the equivalent Data Science & BI track under MCA+, both of which focus on turning raw data into usable financial and business insight.

FinTech, ESG and the Future of Finance

The coverage also highlights an Innovative Poster Presentation Competition. Students presented ideas on FinTech, AI and ESG. Their topics focused on sustainable business practices.

ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. ESG and sustainable finance consider more than financial returns. They also consider environmental responsibility, social impact and governance quality.

This is a growing area of specialised study at RCM, offered as Green Finance & ESG (FinTech) under PGDM+, as Finance, Leadership and Strategy under MBA+, and as Green Finance & ESG (FinTech) under BBA+ — reflecting how central these themes have become across management education levels, not just at postgraduate level.

What CAPXCHANGE 2026 Meant for Students

Finance student Ankita Das describes CAPXCHANGE as the first conference of its kind for her, drawing student participation from across states around themes of finance, sustainability and AI. She points to two competitions — poster presentation and financial modelling — with a combined prize pool, run in collaboration with Finocontrol.

The coverage also notes that companies such as EY, Deloitte and others were expected to join masterclasses and panel discussions. These sessions aimed to give students direct exposure to industry practitioners. The focus was on practical learning beyond academic instruction.

Undergraduate students can also build similar skills through the Business Analytics specialisation under BBA+. They can also explore the broader BBA+ framework. Both provide a foundation in analytics and applied business thinking from the first year onward.

Watch the Infocus Odisha Media Coverage

The embedded Facebook video from Infocus Odisha captures these perspectives directly. It features RCM’s Additional Director, a Finance faculty member and a finance student. Their comments provide an on-campus view of CAPXCHANGE 2026.

The video highlights the conclave’s focus on AI, financial modelling and sustainability. Full event details, speaker information and registration are available on RCM’s official CAPXCHANGE 2026 page.

The page also features eminent voices associated with the event. These include Rupambara, former Director (Communications) at the Reserve Bank of India.

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