Eighteen indica/indica hybrids developed by crossing three lines with six testers were screened for various grain quality traits to assess the combining ability of the parents. For head rice recovery, the crosses involving IR 58025A with MTU 9992 and KMR-3, IR 62829A with MTU 9992 and IR 29723 and IR 68886A with IR 40750R and IR 21567 showed significant positive specefic combining ability (sca) effects. For kernel length, IR 58025A and IR 68886A among lines and MTU 9992 and IR 21567 among testers showed positive significant general combining ability (gca) effects. The magnitude of s2gca / s2sca revealed the predominance of non additive genetic variance for most of the quality characters. For gel consistency, IR 62829A among lines and Ajaya R and IR 40750 R among testers registered significant positive gca effects indicating them to be good general combiners for obtaining hybrids with soft gel consistency. The predominance of non-additive component for most of the quality characters of economic importance offers considerable scope for exploitation of hybrid vigour through heterosis or hybridization and selection.