The rules are usually in the notification, but they are scattered and easy to misread. Here is how to pull them together.
Photo and signature requirements are usually in a section titled something like 'How to apply', 'Instructions for uploading' or an annexure at the end of the notification. They may also appear inside the application portal on the upload page itself. If the two disagree, follow the notification and the portal's live instructions, and keep a screenshot.
Requirements change between exams and between years, so never rely on last year's numbers or on a friend's. Recheck every cycle.
File size is the weight of the file in KB or MB. Dimensions are the width and height, given in pixels or in centimetres (see our guide on converting cm to pixels). Format means JPG, PNG or PDF. DPI is the print resolution, and only matters if the form states it.
Phrases like 'recent photograph', 'plain background' and 'face covering 70 to 80 percent' are describing what the picture should look like, not the file. Look at the portal's sample image if it provides one.
These examples show what rules look like. They are reported by preparation sites in 2026; confirm them against the official notice before you rely on them. A guide to the SSC CGL form says the signature should be 10 to 20 KB in JPEG at roughly 4 cm by 2 cm, and that the photograph is captured live through a webcam or mobile device, with no pre-existing photo allowed.
For the IBPS RRB PO and Clerk 2026 handwritten declaration, one guide lists a JPG of 800 by 400 pixels, 50 to 100 KB, written by hand in black ink on plain white paper, not entirely in capital letters. The point is the pattern: size range, dimensions, format, ink and paper.
Before you start the form, write down for each upload: the format, the size range in KB, the dimensions, the colour or background, and any special rule such as a date or a name on the photo. Prepare each file against that list, not against the portal's error messages.
Then keep the finished files, named clearly, in one folder. You will probably need them again for later stages or for a different exam.
Match the shape first (crop), then the pixel size (resize), then the file size (compress). If a limit is a range, such as 10 to 20 KB, aim for the middle of it, because some portals reject files that are too small as well as too large.
If a portal rejects a file that appears to meet the rules, check the extension and the format; an image renamed to .jpg is not a JPG.
Resize a photo to an exact size in KB
In the exam notification or the upload instructions inside the application portal. Third-party sites can be out of date, so confirm with the official source.
They can. Always read the current notification, even if you applied before.
Some portals reject files below a minimum. Aim for the middle of the allowed range, for example around 15 KB for a 10 to 20 KB limit.
Crop first, then resize to the pixel dimensions, then compress to the size limit. That order keeps the image sharpest.