Biodata, resume and CV are used interchangeably in conversation, but application forms treat them as different documents. A biodata puts personal particulars first and states your record plainly. A resume argues for your suitability and leaves personal particulars out.
If the notification or the office asking for the document uses the word biodata, give them the biodata layout. If a company recruiter asks for your profile, send a resume.
Biodata section order
-
01
Name and post applied for
The post goes directly under the name so the clerk sorting applications can file it.
-
02
Personal particulars
Father's or guardian's name, date of birth, gender, marital status, nationality, languages known and permanent address.
-
03
Career objective
Optional, and short. One or two sentences naming the post and your eligibility for it.
-
04
Educational qualifications
Every qualification from Class 10 upward with board or university, year of passing and percentage.
-
05
Examinations qualified
Recruitment examinations cleared, computer courses, typing certificates.
-
06
Work experience
Designation, office, dates and the duties you personally held.
-
07
Skills
Computer proficiency, typing speed, drafting, record keeping.
-
08
Declaration
The standard statement, with place, date and your signature below it.
Filling in personal particulars
Give exactly what the form asks for and nothing more. Dates of birth must match your Class 10 certificate, because that is the document used for verification, and any mismatch will hold up your file.
Only supply category, religion or caste when the notification specifically requires it. It is not a default field, and adding it to an application that never asked for it does you no good.
Qualifications and marks
Write percentages to one decimal place if that is how the marksheet reads. Where a university issues CGPA and the form wants a percentage, give the CGPA with the conversion beside it rather than converting silently.
Keep the qualifications in one consistent order, highest first or lowest first, and do not mix the two.
The declaration
A biodata is normally signed. Leave the standard sentence, add the place and the date on the day you submit, and sign above your printed name. If you are sending a soft copy, an inserted signature image is acceptable unless the notification prohibits it.
Common errors on a biodata
- A date of birth that does not match the Class 10 certificate.
- Supplying personal details the notification never requested.
- Percentages without the board or university that issued them.
- An unsigned declaration, or one with the place left blank.
- Sending a biodata to a private company that asked for a resume.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between biodata, resume and CV?
Biodata leads with personal particulars and states your record. A resume is one or two pages arguing your fit for a specific job. A CV is a long academic record with publications and teaching. Different documents, different readers.
Is a photograph needed on a biodata?
Often yes for public-sector and administrative applications, usually a recent passport-size photo in the top right. Follow the notification: some specify the size and background.
How long should a biodata be?
One to two pages. Two is normal once you have work experience and several examinations to list.
Do I need to sign a soft copy?
Include the place, the date and a signature block. A scanned or inserted signature is generally accepted for online submission unless stated otherwise.