How to resize a photo and signature for SSC, IBPS and other government forms

By Learning Media Publication · Updated 5 November 2026

Almost every recruitment form in India, from SSC and banking exams to state commissions and police recruitment, asks for a recent photograph and a scanned signature in JPG format within a narrow size range. Forms reject files that are too big and files that are too small, which catches many candidates on the last day. Here is how to get both right the first time.

Check the notification first

Open the official notification and note four things for the photo and for the signature:

• the file format (almost always JPG or JPEG);
• the minimum and maximum size in KB;
• the dimensions, if given (for example 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm, or a size in pixels);
• rules about the background, glasses, cap, date on the photo, and signature ink colour.

A common pattern is a photo of about 20 KB to 50 KB and a signature of about 10 KB to 20 KB, but limits differ between exams and years, so don't assume.

Taking a good photo

• Use a plain white or light background and stand about half a metre in front of it so there is no shadow.
• Face the light from a window. Avoid the phone flash, which makes skin look flat and eyes red.
• Keep your face straight, both ears visible if the notice asks for it, and your face filling about 70% of the frame.
• Crop to the passport shape (taller than it is wide) before compressing.

Scanning your signature

• Sign with a black or blue ball pen (whatever the notification says) on plain white paper. Gel pens can smudge.
• Sign inside a box about the size the form will display, so the signature isn't tiny.
• Photograph it in good light and crop tightly around the signature, leaving a small white margin.
• Don't sign in capital letters if the notice forbids it. Many forms reject signatures in block letters.

Bringing the file into the KB range

1. Open Compress image and select the JPG.
2. Enter the target size, for example 45 KB for a 20–50 KB photo. Aim a little below the maximum, not exactly on it.
3. Download the result and check its size in your file manager. Open it and zoom in: the eyes and the signature strokes should look sharp.
4. If the file is now below the minimum, the image is too small in pixels. Start again from a larger crop.

Last checks before you upload

• Is the file name simple, without spaces or symbols? Some old portals reject names like photo (1).jpg. Rename it to photo.jpg.
• Have you uploaded the photo in the photo box and the signature in the signature box? Mix-ups are a frequent reason for rejection.
• Keep both files. You will need the same photo for the admit card and document verification.