Recruitment for prestigious civil services posts like IAS, IPS, IFS through UPSC exams.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is India’s most prestigious competitive exam for IAS, IPS, IFS, and other top services. Every year lakhs of candidates apply, but many forms get rejected due to incorrect UPSC photo and signature upload. According to official guidelines, the UPSC photo size must be a recent passport-size color photograph in JPEG format, 20 KB–200 KB, taken within six months, with a clear face, light background, and no spectacles or shadows ,maximum dimensions are 1000px X 1000px and minimum dimension required is 300px X 300px. The UPSC signature size should be 20 KB – 100 KB in JPEG format, done in black ink on white paper, neat and legible. At ExamPhoto.in, aspirants can crop, resize, and prepare photos and signatures exactly as per UPSC requirements to avoid rejection.
| Background | Plain white |
| Max Size K B | 200 |
| Min Size K B | 20 |
| Face Cover | Approx. 75% of photo area |
| Specs | JPEG, frontal view, clear, no shadows,Taken within the last 10 days |
| Blur | Must be clear and sharp |
| Face Alignment | Centered |
| Width Cm | 3.5 |
| Height Cm | 4.5 |
| Background | Plain white paper |
| Max Size K B | 100 |
| Min Size K B | 20 |
| Specs | JPEG, blue/black ink, clear and legible |
| Blur | Must be legible |
| Width Cm | 4 |
| Height Cm | 1.5 |
These are the most frequent reasons exam photo & signature uploads get rejected. Each card explains the mistake, why it matters, and how to fix it — plus a quick visual cue.
Many exam authorities require a recently taken photo (UPSC often asks for within 10 days). Using an old photo can lead to rejection.
Why it matters: Face features (hair, glasses, facial hair) can change. Officials need a recent likeness to verify identity. Fix: take a fresh, passport-style photo on the day you apply or within the timeframe specified by the exam authority.
A selfie (tilted head, arm shadow, phone visible) is not accepted. Exams require a neutral, straight-on passport photo.
Why it matters: Selfies distort proportions and may hide facial landmarks. Fix: use a tripod or ask someone to click, keep camera at eye level, look straight at the lens with a neutral expression.
Busy or dark backgrounds distract and can cause rejection. Most exams ask for plain white or light backgrounds.
Why it matters: Facial contrast must be clear against the background for automated and human verification. Fix: stand 1-2 feet from the wall, use a plain light-colored sheet, and avoid shadows.
Shadows on the face or uneven lighting can hide features. Use soft, even lighting from the front.
Why it matters: Verification needs clear visibility of eyes, nose, and mouth. Fix: use natural daylight facing a window, or two soft lights at 45-degree angles to remove shadows.
Photos where the top of the head or shoulders are cut off will be rejected. Maintain correct head-to-ratio.
Why it matters: Exams specify the head size within the frame (e.g., 70-80% height). Fix: leave breathing room above the head and include upper shoulders. Use the site crop tool to preview the correct ratio.
Submitting PNG or TIFF where JPEG is required, or wrong DPI/resolution can cause upload errors.
Why it matters: Exam portals often accept only specific formats (JPEG) and have pixel/dpi constraints. Fix: use the sites converter/compressor to create the correct format and resolution before uploading.
Compressing too aggressively reduces quality; images become pixelated and unreadable.
Why it matters: Low-quality images fail both automated checks and human inspection. Fix: compress only to the exam max KB while keeping clarity; use the site crop tool to preview and compare before submitting.
Unless medically necessary and documented, headgear or dark glasses are not acceptable.
Why it matters: The face must be fully visible for ID checks. Fix: remove caps, hats, and sunglasses; if you have a religious head covering, follow the specific rules (face must be visible). If glasses are necessary, use clear, non-tinted frames and avoid reflections.
Many portals expect a handwritten signature in black or blue ink. Typed or uppercase signatures might be rejected.
Why it matters: Signature is a legal identifier; style and pen color matter. Fix: sign on white paper with a blue/black pen, scan or photograph clearly, and crop so the signature is centered and readable.
Even if the visible crop looks fine, incorrect pixel dimensions or aspect ratio can fail automated checks.
Why it matters: Portals validate exact pixel sizes (e.g., 354x472 px) and aspect ratio. Fix: use the site tool to pre-set templates or crop tool that auto-sets the right px/dpi for each exam.
The photo must be a recent passport-size color image with a white or light background. The face should be clearly visible in a frontal pose without spectacles, caps, or shadows. It must be in JPEG format and the file size should be between 20 KB and 300 KB. Photos that are unclear, old, or casual in nature are not accepted by the Commission.
The signature must be handwritten in black ink on white paper and then scanned. It should be in JPEG format with a size of 10 KB to 20 KB. The signature should be neat and legible, as blurred or smudged images lead to rejection. It is also important to avoid capital letters or digital signatures, as UPSC accepts only hand-signed scans.
Selfies, group photos, or mobile-captured casual pictures are not allowed. Only a proper passport-style photograph taken recently with a clear full-face view is acceptable. Uploading a selfie or digitally altered image results in rejection during scrutiny of applications.
If the uploaded documents do not meet the official specifications, the application is likely to be rejected at the verification stage. Many aspirants lose their chance because of such errors, which makes it crucial to follow the UPSC guidelines strictly when uploading photo and signature.
The safest way is to prepare them in advance using an accurate resizing tool such as ExamPhoto.in, which adjusts the dimensions, format, and size exactly as per UPSC standards. This ensures the application process is smooth and prevents rejection due to technical issues in the uploaded documents.