Photo, Date of Birth, Aadhaar: What Personal Details Belong on an Indian Resume?
Quick answer: On most Indian resumes you only need your name, phone number, email, city and (optionally) LinkedIn. A photo, date of birth, father's name, marital status and religion are not needed unless the employer or application form asks for them. Never write your Aadhaar, PAN or passport number on a resume.
Which personal details should I include?
- Full name — always.
- Phone number — one number you always answer.
- Email — a professional address, ideally your name.
- City and state — enough for location-based hiring. Your full house address is not needed.
- LinkedIn, GitHub or portfolio link — if it is up to date.
Should I put a photo on my resume in India?
For most private-sector and IT jobs, no. A photo takes space and adds nothing about your skills, and many ATS tools cannot read it. Add a photo only when the employer, a government form or a specific role (for example front-office, modelling or aviation cabin crew) asks for it.
Should I write my date of birth?
It is not required for most private jobs. Government, PSU and some public-sector applications ask for date of birth to check age limits — in those cases, give it in the application form or the format the notification asks for.
Do I need father's name, marital status, religion or caste?
No. These were common in the old "biodata" format, but modern resumes leave them out. Your skills and experience are what matter for the job. If a government form needs category details (for reservation), fill them in the form, not in the resume.
Should I write my Aadhaar number on my resume?
No. Your resume is shared with many people — recruiters, portals, consultants — and you cannot control where it goes. Aadhaar, PAN, passport and bank account numbers can be misused. Employers collect these documents separately and securely after an offer, during background verification or onboarding.
If you ever must share Aadhaar, UIDAI lets you download a masked Aadhaar, which hides all but the last four digits.
What about "Declaration" at the bottom?
A line such as "I hereby declare that the above information is true..." is optional for private jobs. Some government and PSU applications still expect it, so follow the notification.
Personal details: quick reference
- Include: name, phone, email, city, LinkedIn/portfolio
- Only if asked: photo, date of birth, full address, languages known, nationality, declaration
- Leave out: father's name, marital status, religion, caste, height and weight, salary history
- Never include: Aadhaar, PAN, passport, bank account or any ID numbers
How nm7.si handles your ID
With nm7.si you can even start a resume by snapping photos of your documents. We read only what a resume needs — like your name and city — and never store Aadhaar or other ID numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is it compulsory to mention date of birth on a resume in India?
No. It is usually needed only for government or PSU forms that check age limits.
Should I add "Languages known"?
Yes, if the job needs them — for example customer support, sales or field roles where Hindi, Telugu, Tamil or another regional language helps.
Is a biodata the same as a resume?
Not quite. A biodata focuses on personal details; a resume focuses on skills and experience. Most employers today want a resume.
Should I write my full home address?
No. City and state are enough. Share your full address later if the company asks.
Can a recruiter ask for my Aadhaar before an offer?
Be careful. Genuine employers usually collect ID documents during verification or onboarding. Never send ID copies to unknown contacts, and never pay to get a job.