The present studies were undertaken to find the selection criteria for higher rice yield which this would also help to select the genotypes possessing plant traits with maximum contribution to grain yield. The experimental material for the study comprised of sixteen genotypes of rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study revealed that genotypes differed significantly among themselves for all the characters viz., morpho-physiological, biochemical, yield and yield attributing traits. The genotypic correlation coefficient was higher than phenotypic correlation coefficient. Grain yield per plant was significantly and positively correlated with average panicle weight, harvest index and α-amylase. Path coefficient analysis revealed that characters like relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area duration (LAD), spikelet fertility, α-amylase, harvest index, peroxidase, flag leaf area, biomass yield, days to 50% flowering, spikelets per panicle and kernel density would be effective in improving the grain yield.