Five varieties of minor millets were studied for their amylose, soluble amylose, amylopectin, soluble amylopectin, reducing sugar, total sugar and starch contents. Pure starch was isolated from each variety and the enzymic degradation of starch by porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase were examined with and without gelatinisation. Gelatinised sample of Echinochloa frumentacea (var. K2) showed minimal hydrolysis and gelatinised sample of Panicum miliaceum (var. CO3) showed maximum hydrolysis of starch by porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase. Gelatinised starch was highly susceptible to enzymic digestion when compared to ungelatinised starch. The extent of starch degradation varied from 71 to 85 percent in gelatinised samples and starch degradation in ungelatinised sample varied from 10 to 18 percent.