Resume Format for Jobs in India (2026)
Many Indian resumes still follow an old "biodata" style – father's name, religion, marital status, a signature and a long declaration. Recruiters at Indian companies today want something shorter and clearer. Here is what to keep and what to drop.
Make my resume →Biodata vs resume vs CV in India
| Used for | Length | |
|---|---|---|
| Resume | Almost all private-company jobs | 1 page (fresher), 1–2 pages (experienced) |
| CV | Teaching, research, PhD, medical and academic posts | 2+ pages, lists publications and research |
| Biodata | Some government and family / marriage use | Personal details form – not for company jobs |
In India people often say "CV" when they mean a resume. For a company job, send a resume.
What to include
- Name, the job title you want, phone, email, city – for example "Ahmedabad, Gujarat". No full home address is needed.
- LinkedIn (and GitHub / portfolio for tech and design jobs).
- Summary – 2 to 3 lines.
- Skills – using the same words as the job advert.
- Work experience – latest first, with results in numbers. Freshers: projects and internships.
- Education – degree, college, university, year, CGPA or percentage.
- Certifications and languages – for example "English, Hindi, Gujarati".
The India-specific questions
Photo?
For most private-company jobs, no. A photo takes space and hiring software ignores it. Add one only when the job advert asks – some government, airline, hotel, front-office and Gulf jobs do.
Date of birth, father's name, religion, marital status?
Leave them out. They don't help you get shortlisted. Give them later in the joining form if the company needs them.
Current CTC, expected CTC and notice period?
Indian recruiters almost always ask these – but not on the resume. Put them in the job portal form or tell the recruiter on the call. Keeping them off the resume lets you negotiate.
Declaration and signature?
The line "I hereby declare that the above information is true…" is not needed for private jobs – it uses space that a skill or result could fill. Add it only when a government or public-sector application asks for it:
I hereby declare that the information given above is true to the best of my knowledge.
Place: Surat · Date: 22/10/2026
10th and 12th marks?
Freshers: yes, add them (one line each). Experienced (3+ years): you can drop them and keep only your degree.
Example: experienced resume heading and summary
Rahul Mehta · Sales Manager
Pune, Maharashtra · 98xxxxxx21 · rahul.mehta@gmail.com · linkedin.com/in/rahulmehta
Sales manager with 7 years in FMCG distribution across Maharashtra. Grew region revenue from ₹6 crore to ₹11 crore in 3 years and built a team of 12 field executives. Strong in dealer management, SAP SD and sales planning.
Indian job portals and what they check
Naukri, Indeed, LinkedIn, Foundit and Apna all read your resume with software before a person sees it. A simple one-column resume with standard headings – Summary, Skills, Experience, Education – is read correctly. Tables, text boxes and skill bars often are not. See how to make an ATS-friendly resume.
Tip: Keep one master resume and change the summary and skills for each job. A resume that matches the advert gets more calls on Naukri and LinkedIn.