ResumeHow to write the education section
Education is a short section. Get its facts exactly right and give it the right amount of space for your stage.
The format
List qualifications latest first. For each: degree or class, institution and city (or board), years, and score.
- B.Com, City College of Commerce, Pune, 2023 to 2026, 8.1 CGPA
- Class 12, Commerce, State Board, 2023, 84%
- Class 10, State Board, 2021, 88%
Write the degree as it appears on your certificate: B.Com, B.Sc. (Computer Science), B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering), Diploma in Civil Engineering. Give the specialisation where there is one.
Where it goes
Freshers: near the top, just after the objective. It is your main qualification. Experienced: near the bottom, after experience and skills. After a few years of work, employers look at what you have done since college.
How far back to go
- Freshers: degree or diploma, Class 12 and Class 10. Campus and fresher recruiters often have a minimum score at each stage.
- Two to five years of experience: degrees, and Class 12 if space allows.
- More than five years: degrees only.
CGPA or percentage
Use the form on your marksheet. If your university gives CGPA, write CGPA and the scale if it is not out of 10 ("3.4 out of 4"). Do not convert to a percentage yourself unless your university publishes a conversion formula and the application asks for a percentage; then use that formula and be ready to show it. Round only as your marksheet does.
Low marks
You have three honest choices.
- State them. Many jobs do not screen on marks, and stating them plainly is better than seeming to hide something.
- Leave the score out for that qualification and give only degree, institution and year. This is acceptable when the advertisement does not ask for marks. Be ready to answer truthfully if asked.
- Draw attention elsewhere: put projects, internship and skills in more detail so that the page is about what you can do.
What you must not do is change a figure. Marksheets are verified before or after joining, and a false figure is treated as fraud.
Backlogs and a year lost
A cleared backlog need not be mentioned on the resume; the final degree and score speak for it. If a recruiter's form asks about backlogs, answer truthfully. If your degree took an extra year, the dates will show it; have a short, plain explanation ready for the interview. A gap between courses is covered on the gaps page.
Degree in progress
Write the expected year: "B.A. (final year), expected 2027" with your score so far, "7.4 CGPA up to semester 4". For distance or open university courses, say so: "B.Com (distance mode)". It is a real qualification and employers will see the mode on the certificate anyway.
Professional courses and eligibility tests
Stages cleared in professional courses and qualifying tests are strong items for a fresher. Write the body, the stage and the year: "CA Intermediate, Group 1 cleared, 2025". "CTET Paper II qualified, 2022". Place them at the top of Education or under achievements.
Certificate courses
Short courses go under "Achievements and certificates", not Education, unless they are the main qualification for the job (for instance an ITI trade certificate or a one year diploma). Give the course, the provider and the year.
What not to add
- A list of subjects studied.
- The medium of instruction, unless the job concerns language.
- Roll numbers and registration numbers.
- School prizes, once you are past your first job.
Check the facts
Compare every year and figure with your certificates. A wrong year typed in a hurry looks, at verification, exactly like a false claim. Keep scanned copies of all marksheets and certificates in one folder, ready to send when asked.
Questions people ask
Should I write CGPA or percentage?
Write it as it appears on your marksheet. Convert only with your university's official formula, and only when a percentage is asked for.
Do I need to include Class 10 and 12 marks?
Freshers should, because many recruiters check them. After several years of work, the degree alone is enough.
How do I show a degree I have not finished?
Write the course with "expected" and the year, and your score up to the latest completed term.
More guides
Sample resumes
General guidance. This page gives general suggestions on writing a resume, reviewed in November 2026. Employers differ: if an advertisement or application form asks for a particular format or detail, follow it. Every name, employer and college in our examples is invented. Nothing here promises an interview or a job.