The District Primary Education Programme launched by the Government of India put in place unique management structures and processes. The programme coverage was limited to the primary level of education only, that is, grades 1-4 in some states and grades 1-5 in other states. As this programme period was drawing to a close, the Government was launching into an even more ambitious programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan that was to be implemented in all districts of all states in India and its coverage was from grades 1-8. An assessment of management structures and processes in three southern states of India was taken to arrive at certain lessons that would be extremely useful for the successful implementation of future programmes in elementary education. (Contains 6 tables, 5 figures, and 2 notes.)