What is a biodata for a job?
A biodata (short for biographical data) is a formal document that lists your personal details, educational qualifications and work experience in a fixed order. In India it is still requested by schools, small and family-run businesses, local factories, contractors, security agencies, some government and semi-government offices, and for many first jobs after 10th, 12th or ITI.
A biodata focuses on facts about you: date of birth, address, qualifications and languages. A resume focuses on what you can do for the employer: skills and achievements. If a job advertisement says "send your resume", use a resume. If it says "biodata", use the format below. Our guide on CV vs resume vs biodata explains the difference in detail.
This page is about a biodata for job applications. A marriage biodata is a different document with family and horoscope details, and is not covered here.
Biodata format for job: sections in order
- Title: "Biodata" at the top, followed by your full name.
- Photo (only if requested): a recent passport-size photo on a plain background, top right.
- Contact details: phone number, email address and current address.
- Personal details: date of birth, gender, nationality, languages known, and marital status or father's name only if the employer asks for them.
- Career objective: one or two lines about the job you are applying for.
- Educational qualifications: exam or degree, board or university, year of passing and percentage or CGPA, most recent first.
- Work experience: employer, post, place and dates, with two or three lines about your duties and results.
- Skills and certificates: computer skills (MS Office, Tally, typing speed), trade certificates, driving licence and so on.
- Declaration, place, date and signature.
Sample career objective lines for a biodata
Seeking the post of Office Assistant where I can use my MS Office and typing skills (35 wpm) to support daily office work.
ITI Electrician (NCVT) looking for a maintenance technician job in a manufacturing unit near Pune.
12th pass (Commerce) with basic Tally knowledge, looking for a billing or data-entry job.
Keep it short and specific. Avoid lines such as "to work in a reputed organisation" that say nothing about you. See more resume objective examples.
Personal details: what to include and what to skip
Include only what the employer needs or has asked for. Date of birth, languages known and nationality are common in a biodata. Religion, caste, blood group, height, weight and family income are not needed for a job and are better left out unless an official form asks for them. Never share your Aadhaar number, PAN or bank details on a biodata; these are collected securely after selection. Read personal details in a resume for a full checklist.
In our builder, add your photo if requested, and use a custom section titled "Personal Details" for date of birth, languages and other facts the employer has asked for.
Declaration for biodata
A biodata usually ends with a short declaration:
I hereby declare that the information given above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Place: Nagpur Date: ____ Signature: ____
Add your own place and leave the date blank if you will print and sign copies. Our resume declaration guide has more samples.
Biodata, resume or CV: which should you send?
For private companies, MNCs and job portals such as Naukri or LinkedIn, send a resume instead. Recruiters there prefer achievements over personal details, and a biodata can look outdated. Use a biodata when it is clearly asked for, and use our resume format guide for everything else. For government applications, follow the advertisement and see the CV format for government jobs.
Make your biodata online
Choose a formal template above, such as Passport Classic or Traditional, fill in your details, and preview the A4 page as you type. MakePerfectResume is free to build, edit and preview; PDF download needs a one-time plan from ₹99. Create your biodata now.
