Across to half of World's population, rice is being provided as a staple food. Milled rice about 480 million metric tons is being produced annually where 50% of rice is being grown and consumed by China and India only (Muthayya Abstract | Present study was conducted to assess the effect of drying on physical properties of Nanjing 9108 paddy variety using response surface methodology. A mathematical model was used predicting the effects of indicators i.e. temperature (40.86, 45, 55, 65 and 69.14 ºC) and time (4.11, 30, 92.5, 155 and 180 min) each with five levels on observed parameters. The suitability of quadratic model for present study was described by the responses having acceptable R 2 and Adj. R 2 values, non-significance of lack of fit which compares residual to pure error and significance of analysis of variance which is essential for testing the applicability of the model. Predicted optimum temperature and time were 63 ºC and 142.5 min respectively and predicted length, width, thickness, TKW, bulk density, true density, porosity and hardness under these conditions were 6.72mm, 3.32mm, 2.27mm, 27.38 g, 716.78 kg m -3 , 1459.14 kg m -3 , 51.24% and 45.26 N respectively. The results further revealed that the effect of temperature and time on paddy decreased with process except porosity and hardness, which increased as affected by these conditions. The results showed that the model work was valid for predicting the responses being affected by the indicators, and optimizing the physical properties of paddy. Central composite design of response surface methodology was successfully used studying the dependence of physical properties of paddy. The valuable results of this study can be utilised by the rice processing industries.