Photo and signature size for government forms: SSC, UPSC, IBPS, PAN
Most rejected applications fail on the photo and signature upload, not on the form. The limits are small, they differ between portals, and a phone camera produces files fifty times larger. Here are the common specifications and the fastest way to meet them without a cyber café.
Updated 8 Oct 2026 · by the Cortex Digital Hub team
Quick answer. Typical recent specifications: SSC (CGL, CHSL, MTS): photo JPEG 20–50 KB at 3.5 × 4.5 cm; signature JPEG 10–20 KB at 4 × 2 cm. IBPS (PO, Clerk, RRB): photo 20–50 KB at 200 × 230 px; signature 10–20 KB at 140 × 60 px; left thumb impression 20–50 KB at 240 × 240 px; handwritten declaration 50–100 KB at 800 × 400 px. UPSC: photo and signature each 20–300 KB in JPG, with the photo recently required to show the name and date. PAN (Protean/UTIITSL online): photo and signature in JPEG, up to 50 KB each. Always confirm against the current notification; the numbers above change by year. Resize to the pixel size first, then compress to the KB range.
Compress a photo to the limit → Free · opens Compress image to 20 KB
Step by step
- Read the notification's "scanning" or "upload" section and note three things for each file: format, pixel size or cm size, and the KB range.
- Resize to the pixel size with the Image Resizer (fill-and-crop for photos, fit for signatures), or use the passport-size preset for 3.5 × 4.5 cm.
- Compress to the KB range with the matching size page: 10 KB for signatures, 20 or 50 KB for photos, 100 KB for declarations.
- Check the result preview, then upload. Keep the files; the same portal will ask for them again at admit-card and document-verification stages.
Tips that save a second attempt
- Signatures: sign in black ink on white paper, photograph straight down, crop tightly. A 140 × 60 px signature at 10 KB is clear if the ink is dark.
- A minimum size matters too. If the portal says 20–50 KB and your file is 12 KB, raise the quality or the pixel size until it is inside the range; the compressor shows the size.
- JPG is required almost everywhere; PNG often fails validation even when the size is right. The converter on this site switches format during the same pass.
- Name the files simply (photo.jpg, sign.jpg). Some portals reject names with spaces or brackets.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the portal reject a file that is under the limit?
Usually the pixel dimensions or the format. A 30 KB PNG fails a JPEG-only rule; a 30 KB JPG at 1200 × 1500 px fails a 200 × 230 rule. Fix both, not just the KB.
My photo looks blurry at 20 KB.
It is being asked to hold too many pixels. Resize to the specified size first (200 × 230 or 413 × 531); a small image compresses to 20 KB with no visible loss.
What do UPSC's photo rules say about the name and date?
Recent UPSC notifications require the photo to include the candidate's name and the date it was taken, printed below the face. Check the current year's notification for the exact wording.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Resizing and compression run in your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server and nothing is stored.
Compress a photo to the limit →