Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
UPSC Civil Services 2026 photo and signature upload requirements
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 notification (Notes 2 and 3) points applicants to a set of upload instructions on UPSC's new application platform, and they differ from the older OTR FAQ. The photograph is a JPG named 'photo', between 20 KB and 200 KB, passport-size on a plain white background, with the face covering at least 75% of the frame — no pixel dimensions are stated, and the photo must not be signed. A live photograph is also captured through a webcam or a phone (via QR code) and matched against the uploaded one; a mismatch leads to rejection.
The signature is the unusual part: you sign three times, one below the other with adequate gaps, in black ink on plain white paper with no lines or colours, and scan all three into a single JPG named 'signature' of 20–100 KB and 350–500 pixels. The PDF says non-conforming signature files lead to rejection — it wants exactly three signatures, properly oriented, not blurred or dark.
The instruction PDF carries no date or version, and its '350–500 pixels' line for the signature does not say whether it applies to the width, the height or both. The checkers below apply the file-size bands, the JPG format and — for the signature — the pixel range on both sides, which satisfies any reading. They cannot check face coverage, the number or orientation of signatures, ink colour, the live-photo match, or whether UPSC will accept the upload.
Official source: upsconline.nic.in — Instructions for Uploading the Photo & Signature (PDF), referenced by CSE 2026 Notification Notes 2 and 3
Application window: CSE Prelims: February (2026: 04.02.2026–24.02.2026); other UPSC examinations year-round
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 name
- photo
- File format
- JPG
- File size
- 20 KB to 200 KB
- Dimensions
- Passport size; no pixel dimensions stated
- Face coverage
- Face must cover at least 75% (three-quarters) of the photo area
- Pose
- Clear, recent, full frontal face; head centred; both ears visible; eyes open; natural expression (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows); no hair over the eyes; avoid glare on eyeglasses
- Background
- Plain white — no dark background, no uniform, no coloured or dark glasses, no shadows on face or background
- Signing the photo
- The photograph is not to be signed
- Live photograph
- Also captured via webcam or mobile camera (QR code) and matched against the uploaded photo; a mismatch leads to rejection
Every value in this table is summarized from upsconline.nic.in — Instructions for Uploading the Photo & Signature (PDF), referenced by CSE 2026 Notification Notes 2 and 3 (Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)), 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 the upload instructions: JPG, 20–200 KB. No pixel size is stated, so none is enforced. Fix mode compresses a larger photo to fit and does not pad a file under 20 KB. Save the download as 'photo.jpg' before uploading.
Drop an image here, or click to browse
JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC (Safari/iOS only) — or paste / take a photo
Publishers: embed this checker on your site with one iframe.
- Auto-checked and fixable
- File size 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 (three signatures in one image)
One JPG containing three signatures stacked vertically. The instructions treat a wrong count, orientation or quality as grounds for rejection.
- File name
- signature
- File format
- JPG
- File size
- 20 KB to 100 KB
- Image dimensions
- 350–500 pixels (the PDF does not say whether width, height or both)
- Content
- Exactly three signatures, signed one below the other with adequate gaps, in black ink
- Paper
- Plain white paper — no lines or colours
- Quality
- Properly oriented; not blurred or dark; non-conforming files are rejected
The tool below is set to the official limits for this file. Drop it in to check it and download a version that fits.
Drop an image here, or click to browse
JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC (Safari/iOS only) — or paste / take a photo
Publishers: embed this checker on your site with one iframe.
- Auto-checked and fixable
- File size, pixel dimensions, 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 checker applies the 350–500 px range to both width and height, which satisfies the PDF whichever side it means. Crop the scan so the three signatures fill a frame of roughly those proportions before fixing — a very tall strip would otherwise be squeezed to fit. It verifies size, dimensions and format only; the count, orientation and ink colour are yours to check. Save the download as 'signature.jpg'.
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
Photograph on a plain white background
Full frontal face, head centred, both ears visible, eyes open, natural expression; no uniform, dark glasses or shadows. The face must fill at least 75% of the frame. Do not sign the photo.
Sign three times on plain white paper
Black ink, one signature below the other with adequate gaps, then scan all three into one image — exactly three, upright, not blurred or dark.
Check and fix both files below
Photo: JPG, 20–200 KB. Signature: JPG, 20–100 KB, 350–500 px. Save them as photo.jpg and signature.jpg.
Be ready for the live photograph
The form also captures a live photo through your webcam or phone and matches it to the upload — good lighting and a clearly visible face avoid a mismatch.
Private by design. Any file you check here is processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. ExactPic is not affiliated with Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and does not guarantee acceptance — always follow the official guidance.
Source change log
- 2026-08-25 — Page created from UPSC's Instructions for Uploading the Photo & Signature (PDF on upsconline.nic.in), the specification the CSE 2026 notification (Notes 2 and 3) points to.
Other exam portals
Frequently asked questions
- What is the photo size for UPSC CSE 2026?
- According to the upload instructions the CSE 2026 notification points to: a JPG named 'photo' between 20 KB and 200 KB, passport-size on a plain white background, with the face covering at least 75% of the photo. No pixel dimensions are stated.
- Why do I have to sign three times for the UPSC application?
- The instructions require one image containing three signatures, signed one below the other in black ink on plain white paper, saved as a JPG named 'signature' of 20–100 KB and 350–500 pixels. Files with the wrong number of signatures, poor orientation or blurred or dark scans are rejected.
- Does the UPSC signature have to be 350 to 500 pixels wide or tall?
- The instruction PDF says '350–500 pixels' without specifying which side. Keeping both the width and the height within 350–500 pixels, as this page's checker does, satisfies either reading.
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Official source checked: 2026-08-24