The experiment was carried out to screen eight maize inbreeds (parents of F1s) and their twenty eight F1s along with two checks (DHM 117 and P 3522) for drought tolerance in maize on the basis of morphological and biochemical parameters during rabi 2023-24 in RBD design. The analysis of variance showed that inbreeds as well as their hybrids were highly significant for all the traits in normal condition except anthesis silking interval, cob girth and kernel row per cob whereas, in drought condition anthesis silking interval and ear height were significant and remaining all the traits were highly significant. The mean value of grain yield was ranged from 2778.09 to 11311.25 kg/ha and 1699.55 to 8696.41 kg/ha in normal and drought condition respectively. For most of the traits under consideration, check P 3522 was found superior under normal as well as drought condition. In drought condition, inbreeds SML 1, CML 451, CLO 2450 and BML 6 and cross combination CLO 2450× SML 1 (8696.41 kg/ha) and CLO 2450 × BML 6 (8516.38 kg/ha) showed significant higher grain yield. Molecular characterization was done using 22 SSR primers in which 17 primers showed amplification. The Polymorphism Information Content values of alleles ranged from 0.46 (Phi046) to 0.81(Phi059). Therefore selection of inbreeds viz., SML 1, CML 451, CLO 2450, BML 6 and their cross combination could be a better option for breeding programme associated with drought tolerance.