CV format for India
In India, you apply with a CV, résumé or biodata. It runs between one and three pages, and a photo is common. It lists personal details such as your date of birth, father’s name, religion and marital status. Work experience comes before education.
At a glance
Format: South and Southeast Asian CV
Shared with Singapore and 17 other countries.
- Photo
- Common
- Use a passport photo. Photos are on the decline.
- Length
- 1 to 3 pages
- Personal details
- Extensive
- Date of birth, father’s name, religion and marital status. All but the date of birth belong to the traditional biodata block, which corporate and multinational roles drop.
- Section order
- Experience first
- References
- Listed
- Local name
- CV, résumé or biodata
- Special fields
- Signed declaration
- Paper
- A4
- 210 × 297 mm
These are each country’s usual conventions, not rules. Real practice varies by employer, industry and seniority, and it is changing with anti-discrimination law, screening software and remote hiring: photos are fading even where they were traditional, and multinationals usually expect none. Treat this as a starting point.
How it is written
The traditional biodata block lives on, multinationals want a concise résumé, and photos are on the decline.
- In South Asia, the traditional biodata block (father’s name, religion, marital status, nationality and a signed declaration) persists in government, teaching and traditional firms; corporate and multinational roles drop it.
What to leave out
The biodata block, for corporate jobs
Father’s name, religion, marital status and a signed declaration belong to government, teaching and traditional employers. Corporate and multinational roles drop them, and photos are on the decline too.
Questions
Do I need a photo on a CV in India?
Usually, yes. A photo is common in India. Use a passport photo. Photos are on the decline. Multinationals usually expect a CV without one.
How long should a CV be in India?
Between one and three pages.
Which personal details go on a CV in India?
Usually your date of birth, father’s name, religion and marital status. All but the date of birth belong to the traditional biodata block, which corporate and multinational roles drop.
Does education or work experience come first in India?
Work experience comes first, then education.
Should I list references on a CV in India?
Yes. References are commonly listed.
What is a CV called in India?
A CV, résumé or biodata.
Applying for a job in India?
CVMake detects the job’s country from the posting and formats the CV for it.
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