Grain yield ability and grain quality traits of 22 varieties were studied at Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station, Hazaribag. It was observed that the varieties Vandana, Kalyani 2 and Anjali proved their stability and superiority to the check variety Heera resulting in 97.5, 97.0 and 95.0 % higher yields respectively. The grain yield was 5.8 % more in the bunded upland than in the unbunded upland plots. With regard to physico-chemical characteristics, the mean head rice recovery (56.8 %) and the kernel test weight (40.8%) were recorded under unbunded upland. Kernel length after cooking, volume expansion ratio and elongation ratio (10 mm, 3.7, 1.5) were estimated. Among twenty two upland rice varieties, six varieties namely Kalinga III, Kalyani 2, Heera, VL 221, RR 366-8 and RR 363-36 were comparable and satisfied the minimum acceptable standard of grain quality traits.