Abstract The chain of survival includes Basic Life Support (BLS) as an important element. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) too plays an important role in its multiple key links. ACLS interventions depend upon the BLS groundwork of immediate recognition and activation of the emergency response system, early CPR, and rapid defibrillation to increase the chances of survival. The likelihood to achieve return of spontaneous circulation increases with drug therapy, advanced airway management and physiological monitoring. Knowledge of CPR is an important part of a medical student’s training, but there is still no routine training included inthe medical undergraduate teaching in developing countries like India. Therefore medical graduates often face difficulty in emergency situations.