IIT Guwahati (organising institute, GATE 2026) on behalf of IISc and the IITs

GATE 2026 photograph and signature specifications

GATE publishes the most precise photo and signature specification of the Indian examinations we cover, re-issued each year by the organising institute — IIT Guwahati for GATE 2026. The photograph is a good-quality colour passport-size photo, 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high, in JPEG between 5 KB and 600 KB, with a minimum resolution of 200 × 260 pixels, a maximum of 530 × 690 pixels and a width-to-height ratio between 0.66 and 0.89. The face must cover 60–70% of the photograph, on a white background with no other objects or people.

The signature has its own geometry: JPEG between 3 KB and 300 KB, from 250 × 80 up to 580 × 180 pixels, with a width-to-height ratio between 2.75 and 3.75, signed in black or dark blue ink by the applicant only, horizontal, not in all capitals, and covering 70–80% of the image after cropping. Uploads most often fail on the ratio — a signature cropped too tall, or a photo cropped to a square.

Both checkers below are pre-set to the GATE 2026 limits. The photo checker treats the stated 3.5 × 4.5 cm shape as its target and accepts width-to-height ratios from about 0.666 to 0.890 — the official 0.66–0.89 band minus a sliver at each edge, so nothing it passes fails GATE on shape; the signature checker does the same for the 2.75–3.75 band. Fix mode crops to the target shape without stretching, then sizes and compresses the file to fit. Face coverage, background, ink colour and how much of the frame the signature fills are not something the tool can judge.

Official source: gate2026.iitg.ac.in — Photograph & Signature specifications

Application window: August–October (GATE 2026: opened 28 Aug 2025; regular close 07 Oct 2025; extended 13 Oct 2025)

Official source checked on 2026-08-24. This records when we compared our summary to the linked official page — not when the tool was QA-tested. Requirements can change; always confirm the current rules on the official page before you apply.

Reviewed by the ExactPic Editorial Team against the official source above. See how we verify requirements.

Specifications

File format
JPEG/JPG
File size
Minimum 5 KB, maximum 600 KB
Minimum resolution
200 × 260 pixels
Maximum resolution
530 × 690 pixels
Shape
Passport size 3.5 cm (W) × 4.5 cm (H); width-to-height ratio 0.66–0.89
Face coverage
60–70% of the photograph (grids A2, A3, B2, B3, C2, C3)
Pose
Frontal view looking directly at the camera, showing forehead, eyes, nose and chin
Background
White, with no other objects or persons
Not allowed
Caps, hats, sunglasses or coloured glasses; head coverings only for religious reasons; normal spectacles allowed without glare

Every value in this table is summarized from gate2026.iitg.ac.in — Photograph & Signature specifications (IIT Guwahati (organising institute, GATE 2026) on behalf of IISc and the IITs), checked 2026-08-24. Confirm the current values on the official page before you apply.

Check and fix your photo

The tool below is set to the official digital limits. Drop your photo in to check it and download a version that fits.

Set to JPEG, 5–600 KB, 200 × 260 to 530 × 690 px. The aspect check targets the stated 3.5 : 4.5 shape and passes any width-to-height ratio from about 0.666 to 0.890 — inside the official 0.66–0.89 band. Fix mode centre-crops to 3.5 : 4.5, outputs 530 × 681 px and compresses under 600 KB.

Private by design. Your files never leave your device

Drop an image here, or click to browse

JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC (Safari/iOS only) — or paste / take a photo

Tip: Ctrl+V / ⌘V to paste

Publishers: embed this checker on your site with one iframe.

Auto-checked and fixable
File size, pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, and file format.
You must verify yourself
Head size and position, background, lighting, expression, and colour profile — the tool cannot judge these.

Check and fix your signature

GATE pins the signature's shape as well as its size: a horizontal image between 2.75 and 3.75 times as wide as it is tall.

File format
JPEG/JPG
File size
Minimum 3 KB, maximum 300 KB
Minimum resolution
250 × 80 pixels
Maximum resolution
580 × 180 pixels
Shape
Height : width = 1 : R with R between 2.75 and 3.75; horizontal orientation
Fill
Signature must cover 70–80% of the image after cropping
Ink
Black or dark blue ink only; signed by the applicant only
Not allowed
All capitals; initials; any background or written text

The tool below is set to the official limits for this file. Drop it in to check it and download a version that fits.

Private by design. Your files never leave your device

Drop an image here, or click to browse

JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC (Safari/iOS only) — or paste / take a photo

Tip: Ctrl+V / ⌘V to paste

Publishers: embed this checker on your site with one iframe.

Auto-checked and fixable
File size, pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, and file format.
You must verify yourself
Legibility, ink colour, orientation, how much of the frame the content fills, and the paper background — the tool cannot judge these.

The aspect check targets 3.25 : 1 — the middle of the official 2.75–3.75 band — and accepts about 2.75 to 3.75. Fix mode centre-crops to that shape, outputs 580 × 178 px and compresses under 300 KB. Crop close to the ink first so the signature still fills 70–80% of the frame after the crop.

Compliance note. This checks mechanical file requirements only — file size, pixel dimensions, aspect ratio and format. It does not check face coverage, background, ink colour, legibility, the number of signatures, or whether the examination or recruitment portal will accept your upload.

Reviewed by ExactPic editorial against the official source on 2026-08-24. Spotted something out of date or wrong? Report an incorrect requirement.

Step by step

  • Take a colour passport-style photo on white

    Frontal view showing forehead, eyes, nose and chin, face covering 60–70% of the frame; no caps, hats, sunglasses or coloured glasses.

  • Sign in black or dark blue ink

    Sign horizontally, not in all capitals, without initials or any other text, and crop so the signature fills 70–80% of the image.

  • Check and fix both files below

    Photo: 5–600 KB, 200 × 260 to 530 × 690 px, ratio 0.66–0.89. Signature: 3–300 KB, 250 × 80 to 580 × 180 px, ratio 2.75–3.75. Fix mode crops to shape and compresses.

  • Upload in GOAPS

    Check the previews in the GATE Online Application Processing System — the tool cannot judge face coverage or how much of the frame the signature fills.

Private by design. Any file you check here is processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. ExactPic is not affiliated with IIT Guwahati (organising institute, GATE 2026) on behalf of IISc and the IITs and does not guarantee acceptance — always follow the official guidance.

Source change log

  • 2026-08-25 Page created from the GATE 2026 Photograph & Signature specifications page on gate2026.iitg.ac.in (IIT Guwahati).

Other exam portals

Frequently asked questions

What is the photo size for GATE 2026?
A JPEG between 5 KB and 600 KB, at least 200 × 260 pixels and at most 530 × 690 pixels, with a width-to-height ratio between 0.66 and 0.89 (passport size, 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm). The face must cover 60–70% of the photograph on a white background.
What is the signature size for GATE?
A JPEG between 3 KB and 300 KB, at least 250 × 80 pixels and at most 580 × 180 pixels, with the width 2.75 to 3.75 times the height. Sign in black or dark blue ink, horizontally, not in all capitals, and crop so the signature fills 70–80% of the image.
Why does GATE reject my photo for the aspect ratio?
GATE requires the photo's width divided by its height to fall between 0.66 and 0.89 — the shape of a 3.5 × 4.5 cm passport photo. A square or landscape crop fails. Crop to 3.5 : 4.5 (the checker on this page does this without stretching) and keep the face at 60–70% of the frame.

Keep going

Official source checked: 2026-08-24