UPSC photo and signature size

The photo and signature rules for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) online applications — CSE and all other examinations, taken from the official notification — and a tool that hits them exactly, in your browser, without uploading your documents anywhere.

Official UPSC image specification
ImageFile sizeDimensionsFormat
Photograph 20–200 KB face must cover at least 75% (3/4th) of the photo JPG — the file must be named 'photo'
Signature 20–100 KB 350 - 500 pixels (as stated in the instructions) JPG — the file must be named 'signature'

Source: UPSC — Instructions for Uploading the Photo & Signature (upsconline.nic.in). Checked on 2026-07-14. Specs change between exam cycles — confirm against the notification for your own session before you upload.

Docexp is an independent website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Government of India or any other government body. The exam name is used only to identify which exam these rules belong to. This page is a reference to the official notification linked above — if this page and the notification ever disagree, the notification is right.

The part that actually gets people rejected

UPSC's form fails people on rules that aren't sizes at all. The photo file must be NAMED 'photo' and the signature file NAMED 'signature' — a correctly sized file with the wrong filename gets rejected. The signature is a 'triple signature': you sign three times, one below the other, on one sheet, and scan all three as a single image. And a live photograph captured by webcam is mandatory and is face-matched against your uploaded photo — if the two don't match, the application cannot proceed. No amount of compression fixes any of these.

Our advice (not part of the official spec)

Before touching sizes, get the two non-size rules right: rename the files to exactly 'photo' and 'signature', and prepare the triple signature on one sheet. The 350–500 pixel rule for the signature is unusual in that UPSC actually states pixels — most exams don't. These instructions are UPSC's common online-application rules (the same portal serves CSE, CDS, NDA and the rest); your exam's own notification can add rules on top, so read it too.

What the notification actually says

“Use a colour photo in jpg format between 20KB and 200KB, saved with the filename 'photo'.”

“To upload photo, you must ensure that the photo has 3/4th face coverage.”

“This means that the face must cover at least 75% of the area in the photo.”

“Photo background shall be plain white.”

“Capture of live photograph shall be mandatory for submission of the application for any examination.”

“Candidate should sign their own signature three times vertically (one below the other) on a plain white paper using a black ink.”

“Save the signature file in jpg format with the file name signature.”

“File size: 20 KB – 100 KB”

“Image dimensions: 350 - 500 pixels”

“Applications with signature files that do not meet the prescribed specifications will be rejected.”