Indian resume rules — where they differ from the US convention

Should you put a photo on your Indian resume?

No, for product companies and modern startups. Razorpay, Swiggy, Flipkart, Postman, CRED — they don't want it; some consider it a slight negative because it invites unconscious bias and serves no parsing purpose.

Maybe yes for traditional industries — banking, consulting, hospitality, family-owned businesses. The convention there is conservative; the recruiter expects it.

When in doubt, omit. Modern ATSes drop the photo anyway.

CGPA / percentage — when to include

Include if you graduated within the last 5 years AND your score is above 8.0/10 (CGPA) or 80% (percentage). Below that, omit. Beyond 5 years post-grad, omit regardless — your work outweighs the marks.

IIT/IIM/NIT graduates: include the institution prominently, the score is less important. The institution is the credential.

Resume length for India

1 page for under 5 years. 2 pages max for 5–15 years. Indian recruiters, like global ones, scan in 7–10 seconds. Length doesn't help density.

Exception: government and PSU applications often expect a longer document with formal sections. For private-sector, stick to the global convention.

Address conventions

City + state is enough. Full address is over-disclosure for a printed resume going to recruiters. If you're applying for a job that requires you to relocate, mention "Open to relocation to [city]" near your contact info — recruiters look for this.

References on request

Skip this line entirely. It wastes space — everyone knows references can be requested. Use that line for one more outcome bullet.

Salary in cover letters / emails

Don't include current salary or expected salary unless explicitly asked. If asked: give a range, anchor at the high end of your research band, and ALWAYS mention "open to discussion given the right opportunity."

LinkedIn vs Naukri presence

Have both. Naukri for traditional/Indian-recruiter searches, LinkedIn for product/MNC searches. Keep them consistent — recruiters check both.