The direct polycondensation of D,L‐lactic acid in the absence and presence of different catalysts at various temperatures has been studied experimentally. Two types of reactions were carried out, one under closed conditions to estimate the equilibrium constant and the other under flow of nitrogen to estimate the polymerization rate constant. A mathematical model was developed based on a suitable kinetic scheme for polycondensation reaction accounting for the rate of water removal. The effects of different operating conditions (temperature and pressure) on the average molecular weight of the polymer have been explored through experiments and model simulations.