Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) is used to investigate the effect of argon gas mixing on the electron temperature, the degree of nitrogen dissociation and the active species concentration in a 13.56 MHz radio frequency (RF) sustained nitrogen plasma. The electron temperature is determined from Ar-I emission line intensities by using the modified Boltzmann's plot method and is found to be increased with argon mixing in nitrogen plasma. The concentration of active species $\rm N_2(C ^3\Pi_{\it u})$ and $\rm N_2^+ (B ^2\Sigma_{\it u}^+)$ is monitored in terms of the emission intensities of nitrogen (0–0) bands of the second positive and the first negative systems respectively. The concentration of $\rm N_2 (C^3\Pi_{\it u})$ active species along with the degree of N2-dissociation is appreciably enhanced by argon mixing signifying the role of argon metastables in the excitation and dissociation processes.