Genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance as a percent over mean for twelve characters were assessed by field evaluation of eighty chilli accessions at Kittur Rani Channamma of Horticulture, Arabhavi (Kama taka) during 2002. High degree of variation was observed for all characters. The difference between phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient of variation were found to be narrow for most of the traits except primary and secondary branches, tertiary branches, fifty per cent flowering, early and late fruit yield per plant. The high estimates of heritabilty was found for plant height (93.40%), days to first flowering (83.50%), percent fruit set (70.70%), number of fruits per plant (81.10%), fruit length (92.40%), ten fruit weight (92.40%) and total green fruits per plant (88.40%). Most of these characters also had moderate to high estimates of genetic advances as a percent over mean except days to first flowering.