The State Institute of Encyclopaedic Publications (SIEP) is a cultural institution functioning under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala with the objective of disseminating knowledge to the people of Kerala in their pursuit of learning. It was constituted as part of the government policy that Malayalam should be used as the medium of education, administration and judiciary.

We are engaged in the publication of a veritable compendium of encyclopedias contributing to the needs of the lay people and also to the professional interests of the specialists. It is indeed a matter of pride for us that we are the only people in India functioning as a separate institute for the publication of such encyclopaedias.

From 1961 to 1976, Malayalam Encyclopaedia functioned as a separate department (Department of Malayalam Encyclopaedia) under the Department of Higher Education, Government of Kerala.  In November 1976 it was reconstituted as an autonomous body called the State Institute of Encyclopaedic Publications (SIEP).  To ensure the smooth functioning of the Institute a Governing Body was constituted with the Chief Minister as Chairman.  In March 1987 the Institute was brought under the control of the Department of Cultural Affairs, keeping its status as an autonomous registered society.

The SIEP is now engaged in the publication of a number of encyclopaedias including Sarvavijnanakosam, a general encyclopaedia in twenty volumes being a compendium of world knowledge, the Viswasahityavijnanakosam (encyclopaedia of world literature) in ten volumes to give an up to date picture of world literature.  Fifteen volumes of Sarvavijnanakosam, volumes 1 and 2 of the revised edition of the Sarvavijnanakosam and seven volumes of Viswasahityavijnanakosam have so far been published. In addition to this single-volume encyclopaedias on Environment, Astronomy and Evolution have also been published. Starting June 2008, we have also launched a web edition for our Sarvavijnanakosam; as of now that edition contains the Articles included in volumes 12, 13 and 14 of Sarvavijnanakosam as well as those in the revised editions of the first two volumes of Sarvavijnanakosam.

For more information, visit: www.sarvavijnanakosam.gov.in