Resume rules in India
What employers in India expect on a CV / Curriculum Vitae or Biodata (बायोडेटा), what the law lets them ask for, and where the two disagree.
Call it a CV for India or a resume for India: it's the same document. Employers there usually want it written in English, Hindi, regional languages.
This is research, not legal advice. Employment and data protection law changes, state and provincial rules matter in federal countries, and practice varies by industry and seniority. Each entry shows when it was looked up and how confident we are. Where nothing reliable was published it says Not found rather than a guess.
Law and practice, side by side
The label on the right is what local hiring expects. The two lines under it are the law and the habit, which often disagree.
Photo: Optional
Optional. Common in traditional/government sectors; discouraged in modern private/MNC roles to reduce bias
What the law says: No legal requirement for applicants; employers cannot use appearance to discriminate under employment law
Date of birth: Common
Common in traditional employers; increasingly optional in modern private sector and MNCs
What the law says: No legal requirement; Age Discrimination in Employment practices prohibited under various laws; collecting age/DOB creates legal risk
Marital status: Optional
Optional; increasingly omitted, especially in formal/MNC contexts
What the law says: No legal requirement; collecting marital status creates discrimination risk under employment law
Sex or gender: Optional
Optional; discouraged in modern applications to avoid bias
What the law says: Gender Discrimination prohibited under Equal Remuneration Act 1976 and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013
Nationality: Optional
Optional; mentioned if relevant to work authorization
What the law says: Work authorization/visa status may be relevant but not mandated
National ID number: Uncommon
Uncommon; avoided due to privacy and discrimination risks
What the law says: Aadhar (national biometric ID) not legally required on CV; data protection concerns apply
The rest of the entry
- Local name of the document
- CV / Curriculum Vitae or Biodata (बायोडेटा)
- Language to submit in
- English, Hindi, regional languages
- Typical length
- 1-2 pages for CV; biodata may be shorter
- Address detail expected
- City level sufficient; full address or PO Box acceptable
- Signature and date
- Not typically required; optional
- Officially prescribed form
- None officially prescribed; biodata format traditional but CV increasingly standard
- Religion, ethnicity or caste
- No legal requirement; Religion or caste discrimination prohibited under Constitution Article 15 and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Inclusion creates legal liability for employers
- Health, disability or pregnancy
- Disability disclosure is voluntary; Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 and subsequent amendments require reasonable accommodation if disclosed
- Other customary attachments
- References with contact details common for experienced candidates
- Employer may not ask for
- Employer cannot request: caste, religion, marital status, family planning, photograph (before interview). Age/DOB requests create legal exposure
- Named statutes
- Equal Remuneration Act 1976, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013, Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 (amended 2016)
- Data protection regime
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act)
- Anti-discrimination statutes
- Constitution Article 15, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015
- Local language source
- English only
Where this came from
Looked up 2026-08-15. Independently checked 2026-08-15. High confidence. Result of that check: Confirmed.
Notes: Biodata format traditional but CV now standard. Modern guidance strongly discourages personal details (photo, DOB, marital status, caste, religion) due to discrimination law liability for employers. Practice diverges between traditional and modern sectors.
Researched with AI assistants working from a written checklist, then independently checked. How we researched this