How to use it
- Tap the document you want to prepare — each one is already set to the size in the official notification.
- Select a photo or scan from your phone. For the signature, thumb or declaration, the paper is cleaned to white and cropped automatically.
- Check the preview: the size and KB shown must be inside the official range.
- Download the JPG and upload it to the UPSC CSE application form. Your live photo is taken inside the form itself.
UPSC CSE upload requirements at a glance
From the official notification — CSE 2026, Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026 (common application form at upsconline.nic.in). Checked on 20 October 2026.
| Document | Size | File size | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph (passport size) | Not specified | 20–200 KB | JPG, JPEG |
| Live photograph (webcam / QR on mobile) | Captured live in the form — nothing to upload | — | — |
| Signature (three signatures in one image) | 350–500 px each side | 20–100 KB | JPG, JPEG |
| Photo ID card (only if not using Aadhaar) (if applicable) | Not specified | 20–200 KB | JPG |
| Certificates (matriculation, caste/OBC/EWS, disability, etc.) (if applicable) | Not specified | 50–300 KB |
Rules for each document
Photograph (passport size)
- Official: “Upload a photo named photo in jpg format with a file size between 20KB and 200KB.” Pixel dimensions are NOT stated.
- The file must be named exactly “photo” (e.g. photo.jpg) — the portal refuses any other name.
- Colour photo, plain white background; face covers at least 75% (3/4th) of the photo; frontal view, head centred, both ears visible; eyes open; natural expression.
- Not accepted: dark background, uniform, coloured/dark glasses. No shadows on face/background; avoid glare on spectacles. “Photograph is NOT to be signed.”
Live photograph (webcam / QR on mobile)
- “Capture of live photograph shall be mandatory for submission of the application for any examination.” Upload the photo first, then capture.
- The live photo is matched with the uploaded photo; on a mismatch the applicant cannot proceed.
- Well-lit room, look straight at the camera, no cap, mask or dark glasses.
Signature (three signatures in one image)
- Official: “File size: 20 KB – 100 KB … Image dimensions: 350 - 500 pixels”; portal: “The height and width of signature image must be between 350 and 500 pixels”.
- Sign three times, one below the other (vertical column), on plain white unruled paper with black ink; adequate gap between signatures; scan all three in a single image, properly oriented.
- File must be named exactly “signature”. Files not meeting the specification are rejected.
Photo ID card (only if not using Aadhaar)
- “Document name should be id_card in jpg format and sized between 20KB-200KB.”
- Options include Driving Licence, PAN, Passport, State/Central Govt ID, Voter ID. Carry the same ID to the exam / interview.
Certificates (matriculation, caste/OBC/EWS, disability, etc.)
- Each certificate: PDF, 50–300 KB, with the exact file name the portal shows — board_certificate, caste_certificate (also for OBC / EWS), disability_certificate, pw_recommendation, name_change.
- Scribe photo scribe_photo.jpg 20–200 KB; scribe signature scribe_signature.jpg 20–100 KB, 350–500 px; assistive device photo assistive_device.jpg 20–200 KB.
General instructions
- Face authentication of all candidates at the examination venue (para 11).
- The same common application form, photo / live photo / three-signature rules apply to NDA, CDS and ESE notices of 2026.
- Old rule NOT in CSE 2026: CSE 2025 required the photo to be not more than 10 days old with the candidate's name and date of photo printed on it. That clause is absent from the CSE 2026 notice and portal instructions, which now say “Photograph is NOT to be signed.” Do not tell users to print name/date for UPSC unless a new notice brings it back.
Where these numbers come from
Every value on this page is taken from the official Union Public Service Commission documents below. If a newer notification is out, it takes priority.
- UPSC CSE 2026 notice No. 05/2026-CSE
- UPSC online – Instruction for photo & signature upload
- UPSC online – Instructions for uploading documents
- UPSC online – Aadhaar / Photo ID instructions
- UPSC CSE 2025 notice (for the old 10-day / name-and-date rule)
Where official sources disagree
- Photo pixel size is not stated anywhere official (figures like 350–1000 px on coaching sites are unverified).
- CSE 2025 allowed photo and signature 20–300 KB; the 2026 portal enforces photo 20–200 KB and signature 20–100 KB. ESE 2027 notice (16.09.2026) still carries the old 20–300 KB text — the portal limits are used here.
- The notice gives 24.02.2026 as the closing date, while the UPSC exam page shows 27.02.2026 (not relevant to sizes).
Next update: CSE 2027 notice expected around January–February 2027.