Universal Guidelines for All Exams
- Format: All exams require JPG/JPEG format only.
- Background: White or light-coloured (plain, no shadows). Change your photo background to white/light if it is dark or highly colored.
- Photo Quality: Must be recent (not older than 3 to 6 months), passport-style, full face (70-80% coverage). No caps, hats, or tinted sunglasses.
- Signature: Black or blue ink on plain white paper. Use running hand only—capital or block letters will cause instant rejection.
- Thumb Impression: Left thumb firmly pressed on white paper with black/blue ink.
1. SSC Exams
Applies to CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Constable, Stenographer, etc.
| Document | Dimensions (cm) | Pixels (Preferred) | File Size Limit | Thumb Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm | 200 × 240 or 275 × 354 | 20 KB – 50 KB | No (Except GD) |
| Signature | 4.0 cm × 2.0 cm | 140 × 60 or 200 × 80 | 10 KB – 20 KB | - |
| Left Thumb (GD only) | 3 cm × 3 cm | 240 × 240 | 20 KB – 50 KB | Yes (for GD) |
* Specs are largely uniform across SSC exams. Always verify with specific notifications on ssc.gov.in.
2. Banking Exams
Applies to IBPS PO/Clerk/RRB, SBI PO/Clerk, RBI Assistant.
| Document | Dimensions (cm) | Pixels (Preferred) | File Size Limit | Thumb Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm | 200 × 230 | 20 KB – 50 KB | No |
| Signature | 3.5 cm × 1.5 cm | 140 × 60 | 10 KB – 20 KB | - |
| Left Thumb Impression | 3 cm × 3 cm | 240 × 240 (at 200 DPI) | 20 KB – 50 KB | Yes |
| Handwritten Declaration | 10 cm × 5 cm | 800 × 400 | 50 KB – 100 KB | - |
* Note: Live photo capture (webcam or mobile QR scan) is also becoming mandatory in recent IBPS/SBI applications.
3. Railway Exams (RRB / RRC)
Applies to RRB NTPC, Group D, ALP, JE.
| Document | Dimensions (cm) | Pixels (Preferred) | File Size Limit | Thumb Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm | 320 × 240 or similar | 15 KB – 50 KB (or 20-50KB) | No |
| Signature | 5.0 cm × 2.0 cm | 140 × 60 | 10 KB – 40 KB | No |
* Thumb impressions are NOT required in most RRB online application phases, only signature.
4. Defence & Agniveer Exams
Applies to UPSC NDA/CDS, AFCAT, and Agniveer (Army, Air Force, Navy).
Agniveer (Agnipath Scheme) – 2026 Cycle
Special Slate Requirement: Air Force (Agniveervayu) & Navy candidates must upload a photo holding a black slate in front of their chest. The slate must display your Name + Date of Photo written in white chalk (capital letters). Our tool can generate this digitally.
| Document | Dimensions (cm) | Pixels (Preferred) | File Size Limit | Thumb Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph (Slate) | 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm | 200 × 230 or 413 × 531 | 10 KB – 50 KB | No |
| Signature | 3.5 cm × 1.5 cm | 140 × 60 or 413 × 177 | 10 KB – 50 KB (or 4-30 KB) | - |
| Left Thumb Impression | 3 cm × 3 cm | 240 × 240 | 10 KB – 50 KB | Yes |
UPSC NDA / CDS
| Document | Pixels (Min – Max) | File Size Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 350×350 to 1000×1000 | 20 KB – 300 KB |
| Signature | 350×350 to 1000×1000 | 20 KB – 300 KB |
AFCAT (Air Force)
| Document | Dimensions (cm) | Pixels | File Size Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 100 × 120 | 10 KB – 50 KB |
| Signature | 3.5 × 1.5 cm | ~100 × 80 | 10 KB – 50 KB |
Common Document Questions
Modern smartphones take pictures that are often 3 MB to 8 MB in size and over 3000 pixels wide. Government portals like SSC or IBPS usually enforce a strict maximum limit of 50 KB and dimensions of around 200x230 pixels to manage server load. You must use a tool to compress and resize the image before uploading.
A running hand signature means your normal, cursive-style daily signature. Writing your name in all capital/block letters (e.g., "RAHUL KUMAR") is strictly prohibited across all bank, SSC, and defence exams and will cause your application to be rejected.
Yes. If your original photo has a dark or patterned background, it is highly recommended to digitally remove the background and replace it with a plain white or light colour. Our specific exam tools automatically convert transparent PNG backgrounds to white.
For Indian Air Force and Navy Agniveer applications, candidates must be photographed holding a black slate in front of their chest. The slate must have their Full Name and Date of Photograph written in white chalk in CAPITAL letters. You can digitally generate this slate using our Defence Resizer tool.