The Question
The letter of application, the last question of the paper, carries 5 marks. It prints an advertisement and says: Write a letter of application in response to the following advertisement which appeared in The Deccan Herald dated 5th March 2025. The alternative is the speech (chapter 27).
The rule about your name. The paper says: Write XXXX for name and YYYY for address. Never write your real name, your school's name or your address. Writing them can be treated as identifying yourself in the answer script.
What the advertisement gives you, and where each part goes in your letter:
| In the advertisement | Where it is used |
|---|---|
| the post (Office Assistant) | the subject line and the first paragraph |
| the qualification asked for | the second paragraph, matched by your own qualification |
| the company's name and address | the receiver's address, at the left |
| the newspaper and its date | the first paragraph, as the reference |
| "apply within 10 days" | your date must fall inside those ten days |
[Exam Tip] — Five marks are given for the format, the content and the language together. A letter with the right format and three short, correct paragraphs scores better than a long letter in the wrong shape.
The Format
Write the parts in this order, each on a new line, with a blank line between blocks.
YYYY (your address, in two or three lines)
Date: 10 March 2025
To The Manager Jaashritha Enterprises Industrial Layout J.P. Nagar Bangalore - 560076
Sir / Madam,
Sub: Application for the post of Office Assistant. Ref: Your advertisement in The Deccan Herald dated 5 March 2025.
(Paragraph 1: apply, naming the post and the advertisement.)
(Paragraph 2: your qualification and skills, matched to the advertisement.)
(Paragraph 3: assurance, and a request for an interview.)
Yours faithfully, XXXX
Encl: Bio-data / copies of certificates.
Notes on each part
- Sender's address: write only YYYY, or YYYY with a line or two of a general address. Never a real address.
- Date: any date within the ten days allowed by the advertisement.
- Receiver: copy the name and address from the advertisement exactly. If no officer is named, write The Manager or The Managing Director.
- Salutation: Sir or Madam (or Respected Sir / Madam). Use Yours faithfully with Sir / Madam; Yours sincerely is for a letter to someone you have named.
- Subject and reference: two short lines. They tell the reader at once which post you mean.
- Signature: XXXX, nothing else.
- Enclosure: one line at the end. It is expected in a job application.
What to Write in the Three Paragraphs
Paragraph 1: the application. One or two sentences.
With reference to your advertisement in The Deccan Herald dated 5 March 2025, I wish to apply for the post of Office Assistant in your organisation.
Paragraph 2: your suitability. Three or four sentences that answer the qualification asked for, then add one or two skills.
I have completed my B.Com. degree from a recognised college, with a first class. I have also completed a certificate course in computer applications and can work with word processing, spreadsheets and e-mail. I am fluent in English and Kannada, and I have good communication skills.
Paragraph 3: the assurance and the request. Two sentences.
If I am selected, I assure you that I will carry out my duties sincerely and to your satisfaction. I request you to give me an opportunity to attend an interview at your convenience.
Useful sentences
| Purpose | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Opening | With reference to your advertisement in …, I wish to apply for the post of … |
| Opening (alternative) | I came across your advertisement in … dated …, and I offer myself as a candidate for the post of … |
| Qualification | I have completed my … degree from a recognised college. |
| Extra skill | I have also undergone training in … |
| Languages | I can read, write and speak English and Kannada fluently. |
| Assurance | If given the opportunity, I shall discharge my duties sincerely and efficiently. |
| Request | I request you to consider my application and grant me an interview. |
| Closing line | I am enclosing my bio-data and copies of my certificates for your kind perusal. |
Length. About 120 to 150 words in the three paragraphs is enough. The marks are for shape and correctness, not for length.
The 2025 Question, Solved
WANTED — Office Assistant. Qualification: Any degree with Computer Knowledge. Apply within 10 days to: Jaashritha Enterprises, Industrial Layout, J.P. Nagar, Bangalore - 560076. (The Deccan Herald, 5 March 2025.)
A model answer
YYYY
Date: 10 March 2025
To The Manager Jaashritha Enterprises Industrial Layout J.P. Nagar Bangalore - 560076
Sir,
Sub: Application for the post of Office Assistant. Ref: Your advertisement in The Deccan Herald dated 5 March 2025.
With reference to the above advertisement, I wish to apply for the post of Office Assistant in your organisation.
I have completed my B.Com. degree from a recognised college with a first class. I have also completed a course in computer applications and can work comfortably with word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail and the internet. I am fluent in English and Kannada, and I am used to keeping records and files in order.
If I am selected, I assure you that I shall discharge my duties sincerely and to the satisfaction of my superiors. I request you to give me an opportunity to attend an interview at your convenience.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully, XXXX
Encl: Bio-data and copies of certificates.
Why this answer fits the advertisement. The post is copied exactly; the qualification asked for was any degree with computer knowledge, and the letter gives a degree and computer skills; the date falls inside the ten days; the address is the one printed; and the name is XXXX.
Bio-data, and Common Mistakes
Some papers ask for a bio-data (resume) along with the letter, or as the enclosure. It is a list, not paragraphs:
BIO-DATA Name: XXXX Address: YYYY Date of birth: 12 June 2007 Educational qualification: B.Com., First Class Additional qualification: Certificate course in computer applications Languages known: English, Kannada, Hindi Experience: Six months as an office trainee References: Available on request Date: 10 March 2025 Signature: XXXX
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| Writing your real name or address | Always XXXX and YYYY. |
| Leaving out the subject line | Sub: Application for the post of … is part of the format. |
| Yours sincerely after Sir / Madam | Use Yours faithfully. |
| Your's faithfully | No apostrophe: Yours faithfully. |
| Dating the letter after the ten days | Choose a date inside the period the advertisement allows. |
| Copying the whole advertisement into the letter | Name the post; do not reprint the advertisement. |
| Asking about salary or leave | A job application does not bargain. |
| Writing one long paragraph | Three short paragraphs, in the order given above. |
| Informal language (I really want this job) | Formal, plain sentences. |
| Forgetting the enclosure line | One line: Encl: Bio-data and copies of certificates. |
A checklist before you move on
- YYYY at the top, date below it.
- Receiver's address copied from the advertisement.
- Sir / Madam, then Sub and Ref.
- Three paragraphs: apply, suitability, assurance.
- Yours faithfully, then XXXX.
- Encl: line.
[Exam Tip] — Learn the skeleton by heart and practise writing it in four minutes. Then in the exam the only thinking left is which qualification to claim, which the advertisement itself tells you.