Puducherry Institute Of Linguistics And Culture

A Profile

Puducherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture (PILC) is an autonomous research centre established with a view to promote advanced research in the fields of Linguistics and Culture in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
This institute was originally started in Puducherry in 1981 as a regional centre of the International School of Dravidian Linguistics (ISDL) with the grant-in-aid of the Government of Puducherry. Later, in 1986, the Government of Pondicherry took over the regional centre under its direct fold and registered with a new name, i.e. Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Later in 2008 it was rechristened as Puducherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture (PILC).

Governing Body

The Governing Body is the supreme body which meet once in every six months to execute academic and administrative decisions, formulate policies, review the programmes of the Institute and suggest measures for further development.

The Governing Body is constituted with Hon'ble Minister for Art & Culture as Chairman and the Secretary to Government(Art & Culture) as Vice Chairman. The other members are the Secretary to Government (Finance), Secretary to Government (Law), Director of School Education, Director of Art and Culture, three eminent academicians and the Director, PILC as Member Secretary.

Research-cum-Academic Council

The Research-cum-Academic council shall be the principal academic body which helps to formulate the academic policies of the Institute, exercise general evaluation of the research programmes and suggest measures for improvement. This Body consists of eminent professors, scholars and experts of high reputation in their respective fields.

Research Departments

PILC has the following departments which involve in various research and academic activities.
1. Linguistics
2. Anthropology
3. Folklore
4. Tamil Literature

PILC Library

In order to promote and facilitate research, PILC has been steadily building up a library of standard research works. Within a short period of time, it has collected more than 35,000 books in English and Indian languages. It also subscribes to several international and national journals in English and Tamil.

Journal in Tamil

The research findings of the faculty members are published in the form of working papers in Tamil under the title Ya:nar. One of the special issues focussed on multidisciplinary approaches to feminist issues.

Journal in English

PILC has been bringing out an internationally known research journal entitled PILC Journal of Dravidic Studies. It is a biannual in English carrying original research findings, both theoretical and empirical, on themes and problems which are of interest to professional scholars in linguistics and culture. Academics of international repute have been regularly sending their research findings to the Journal in the form of articles.

Certificate Course

Certificate course of six months’ duration is offered in the following subjects:
1. Linguistics
2. Anthropology
3. Folklore
4. Tamil Literature

Diploma Course

Diploma course of six months’ duration is offered in the following subjects:
1. Linguistics
2. Anthropology
3. Folklore
4. Tamil Literature

Tamil Course

The institute offers diverse Tamil courses to those interested in learning Tamil. Non-Tamil Govt. officials, linguistic minorities, researchers, students and others interested persons are benefited from this course. PILC offers “Tamil Summer School” for foreign students/scholars every year during summer vacation. Besides these the Govt. of India (ICCR) is also sending foreign students to PILC regularly. Staff from China Radio International are coming to PILC for learning Tamil.

M.Phil. / Ph.D, programmes

PILC has been affiliated to the Tamil University, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, for the M.Phil./Ph.D. programmes in Tamil Literature, Linguistics, Anthropology and Folklore from the year 1998 onwards.

Address for communication:

The Director
Puducherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture
Lawspet, Puducherry 605008, India.
Tel: +91-413-2255817, +91-413-2255827
Email: pilc[dot]py@gov[dot]in