Box-Behnken design was employed for the decolourization of synthetic dye bath effluent using solar induced photo catalytic degradation with mixed semi conductor catalysts. Four independent variables namely concentration of dye effluent, catalyst loading, pH and irradiation time was chosen as process variables. The optimum concentrations of dye effluent, catalyst dosage, pH, and irradiation time were found to be 60 mg L, 200 mg L, 7 and 100 min, respectively, for maximum decolourization of dye effluent (91.24%). Predicted values were found to be in good agreement with experimental values and as a result reflected the precision and the applicability of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) (R=0.9785 and Adj R= 0.9569). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]