Background:Peripheral lymphadenopathy is commonly due to infectious or benign disease. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is simple, quick, inexpensive and minimally invasive technique that can be used as an outpatient procedure to diagnose them. Aim:This study was undertaken to assess the various causes of peripheral lymphadenopathy through FNAC, and to see the distribution of lesions with respect to age and gender. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, in a tertiary care center, India. A total 300 peripheral lymph node was studied. Aspirated material was routinely stained with Hematoxylin& Eosin and Papanicolauo stains. The cytomorphological features seen in the aspirates were analyzed and correlated with their etiology. Results: In this study 300 cases of peripheral lymphadenopathy were analysed. Majority of the participants (56.4%) were male, maximum numbers of cases (28.4%) were in the age group of 21-30 years. The most common lesion encountered was tuberculous lymphadenitis 44% followed by chronic reactive hyperplasia 30%. Cervical lymph node (69%) were most common followed by axillary (11%),chronic reactive hyperplasia was common in first and second decade whereas tubercular lymphadenitis common in second and third decade of life. Conclusions:FNAC is a rapid, cost effective, valuable and reliable screening tool in outpatient department forevaluating the etiology of peripheral lymphadenopathy. It can distinguish inflammatory from malignant lesion so that unnecessary surgery can be avoided.