Background: Medical students are expected to possess self-directed learning skills in order to pursue life long learning (1) . Melaka Manipal Medical College (MMMC), Manipal Campus, Manipal University, India offers a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) twinning program which is of five years duration. The curriculum adopted at MMMC incorporates strategies which require students to spend considerable amount of time in self-directed learning. Aims: In the present study, we explored the self-directed learning readiness of first year MBBS students (n=130) using Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) (2) and also determined the correlation between SDLRS scores of high achievers, medium achievers and low achievers with their academic performance in physiology examinations. Methods: Based on academic performance in three teaching units, students were categorized into three groups; high achievers (>75%; n=10), medium achievers (64 to 74%; n=41) and low achievers (<64%; n=79). Students were requested to respond to each item of SDLRS on a Likert scale. The median scores of three scales of SDLRS (self-management, desire for learning, self-control) were compared across the three groups of students using Kruskall Wallis test. The SDLRS scores of three groups of students were correlated with their marks in theory paper of first, second and third block-end examinations using Spearmann’s correlation coefficient. Results: The total score was found to be 141.7 (out of 200). The total mean score for self- management , desire for Learning and self-control were found to be 126.16, 134.32 and 164.72 respectively. The mean score for self- control was found to be higher followed by desire for learning and self-management. Data analyses showed significantly high (p <0.03) median scores for self-control for high performers compared to medium and low performer groups. Between the groups, high performers had a higher score for all three scales of SDLRS, followed by low performers and medium performers. Nevertheless, SDLRS scores and academic performance of three groups of students were found to exhibit a weak correlation. Conclusions: Total scores for each subscale reflected a positive attitude towards readiness for self directed learning. The study threw light upon the fact that inspite of having a high desire for learning and ability of self-control, students need to be supported in their self-management skills.