What to Include in a Marriage Biodata: The Complete Checklist
Families notice missing sections faster than badly written ones. Here is the complete list of what belongs in a marriage biodata, what is optional, and what you should leave out entirely.
Most rejected biodatas are not rejected for bad writing. They are set aside because something obvious is missing — no height, no contact number, no clue which city the person actually lives in — and the family on the other side simply moves to the next profile rather than asking.
This checklist covers the sections families expect, the ones that are genuinely optional, and a few things that quietly hurt you when included.
New to this? Start with our guide to writing a marriage biodata for the full walkthrough.
What Are the Compulsory Sections in a Marriage Biodata?
Treat these as non-negotiable. If any one is missing, expect a follow-up message before anyone considers a meeting.
Full name — as it appears on official documents, not a nickname.
Date of birth — write the date rather than only the age, so the biodata does not expire.
Height — in feet and inches; this is asked for in almost every case.
Education — highest qualification, plus the college if it adds context.
Profession — role, employer or business, and the city you work in.
Family details — parents' occupations and siblings with their marital status.
Contact number — usually a parent's, clearly labelled so nobody guesses.
Current city and hometown — these are often different and both matter.
Photo — recent, clear, and the right way up in the exported PDF.
Writing the date of birth instead of the age is a small thing that matters more than people expect. Biodatas circulate for months. An age typed as a number silently becomes wrong.
Which Sections Are Optional?
These depend entirely on your family and community. Include them if they are normal in your circle, and skip them without worry if they are not.
Horoscope details — birth time, birth place, rashi and nakshatra. Essential in some families, irrelevant in others.
Caste, sub-caste and gotra — include only if your family actively matches on it.
Annual income — commonly expected in urban profiles, often skipped elsewhere.
Diet — worth a line if vegetarian or Jain diet matters to your family.
Partner preferences — two or three genuine criteria, not a full specification.
Languages known — useful for inter-community and NRI matches.
The mistake here is copying someone else's optional sections. If a cousin's biodata had a horoscope table and your family has never matched horoscopes, leaving it in invites questions you cannot answer.
What Should You Leave Out?
A biodata gets forwarded far beyond the people you sent it to. Assume strangers will read it, because they will.
Full residential address. City and hometown are enough at this stage.
Aadhaar, PAN or any document number. There is no reason for these to appear.
Exact salary figures and bank details. A range answers the question without the discomfort.
Social media handles. Share these later, directly, if you want to.
Past relationship history. This belongs in a conversation, not a document.
Long lists of adjectives. “Simple, caring, homely, adjusting” tells a reader nothing.
How Should You Order the Sections?
Order matters because most people read the first screen on a phone and decide from there. A reliable sequence:
Photo and name at the top.
Core personal details — date of birth, height, city.
Education and profession.
About me — three sentences, no more.
Family details.
Horoscope, if your family uses it.
Partner preferences and contact number.
If you would rather not build this layout by hand, the biodata templates already follow this order, and the free biodata maker fills them in section by section.
How Long Should Each Section Be?
Personal details, education and family work best as labelled rows — one line each, no sentences. Only the “About Me” section should read as prose, and three sentences is the ceiling.
If a section is running past four lines, it is usually a sign that something belongs in a conversation instead. Families rarely complain that a biodata was too short.
Two related reads: how to write about yourself and one page vs two page biodata.
Frequently Asked Questions
What details are compulsory in a marriage biodata?
Name, date of birth, height, education, profession, city, family details and a contact number. Everything beyond that is shaped by your family and community.
Should I include my full address?
No. City and hometown are sufficient. A full address ends up with people you never sent the biodata to.
Is a photo compulsory?
Not formally, but almost every family asks for one. Including a clear, recent photo saves an extra exchange.
Should I mention hobbies?
Two or three specific ones help start a conversation. A list of ten reads as padding.