BACKGROUND Diabetic nephropathy is the major cause for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in India, but there is plethora of non-diabetic causes of CKD. This study was conducted to analyse the aetiological profile of CKD, compare demographic details, clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters between diabetic and non-diabetic causes of CKD. METHODS This is a comparative cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary centre at Maduranthagam, Tamil Nadu, on 250 subjects. The study population included all renal failure cases diagnosed in the study setting during the period December 2017 - December 2019. CKD grade is assessed as per National Kidney Foundation (NKF / KDOQI) staging system. The quantitative variables were analysed by mean, and standard deviation. Categorical variables were analysed by frequency and proportion. RESULTS 250 patients were included in the analysis; 49.20 % were diabetics with a mean age of 62.81 ± 10.44 years, and 50.80 % were non-diabetics with a mean age of 59.24 ± 10.46 years. Among the non-diabetics, 88.98 % had hypertension and 51.22 % among diabetics had hypertension. 55 subjects had both diabetes and hypertension. In the diabetes group, 39.84 % patients had trace proteinuria, 9.76 % had proteinuria +, 4.88 % had proteinuria ++ and 45.53 % participants had proteinuria +++. Among non-diabetics, 51.97 % had trace proteinuria and 40.94 % had proteinuria +++. In both groups, majority of patients had grade 5 renal failure with 57.72 % among diabetics and 56.69 % among non-diabetics. CONCLUSIONS The clinical and laboratory profile was significantly different among the two groups. In diabetic CKD, intensified risk factor control of blood glucose and HbA1c was needed, while in non-diabetic CKD, better blood pressure control measures was needed. KEYWORDS Chronic Kidney Disease, Aetiological Profile, Diabetes Mellitus, Laboratory Parameters, Diabetic Nephropathy, Hypertensive Nephropathy