Exam photo and signature requirements: how to check before uploading

Go to the recruiting authority's official website and identify the exact advertisement number, post and application cycle. Download the notice and any later corrigendum. Search the document for terms such as photograph, signature, upload, dimensions and live capture. Record the requirements separately for every field.

A useful checklist includes accepted format, width and height, minimum and maximum file size, visual conditions, file name and any live-camera steps. Some requirements are recommendations; others are strict limits. Read the wording carefully and follow the more specific instructions for your application.

An example of why this matters: recent Railway Recruitment Board notices describe a live photograph and a JPEG signature. The 2026 GATE photo guidance gives its own photo and signature pixel and byte ranges. Those instructions are not interchangeable, and neither one automatically applies to another cycle.

If the official portal requests a live photograph, complete that step in the official application using its camera workflow. A resized file from this site is not a live capture. Do not use a photograph displayed on another screen or a printout as a substitute.

Check the official site address before granting camera permission. Set up clear light, use the background and pose requested by the notice, and make sure the captured image is clear in the application's preview. If camera access fails, inspect the browser permission and seek help from the recruiting authority.

For a photo, start with a clear source that already meets the notice's visual rules. Check background, facial visibility, expression and any requirement for recency. The photo presets crop from the centre; they do not detect your face, check its size or remove an opaque background. Inspect the downloaded result carefully.

For a signature, follow the notice's ink and paper instructions and capture the whole writing clearly without shadows. Signature presets fit the source into the requested canvas with padding rather than cropping away the edges, but the result still needs a visual check.

Some applications request other documents, such as a declaration or thumb impression. Prepare those only as instructed in the specific notice. Do not create a signature or an identity document using an image generator, or modify a biometric mark in a way the authority prohibits.

The pixel width and height describe the image canvas. A portrait canvas has a different shape from a landscape canvas. If the authority specifies a range, make sure both sides satisfy that range; if it specifies one exact size, use that size.

The file size in KB or MB measures the amount of data, not the physical print size. A 200 × 230 image can be saved at different file sizes depending on content and compression. Lowering a file to the maximum is not useful if the result becomes too blurry to read or identify.

Physical size in millimetres or centimetres is another measure. Pixel dimensions on their own do not guarantee that a printer will produce the required dimensions. Follow the application's print or scanning instructions and measure the final print if a physical copy is required.

• Choose the closest photo or signature preset and read its displayed dimensions and target range. Compare them against the current official notification; they can be different.
• Select a clear source and run the operation. Your selected file is processed in the browser; the page and code may need to be downloaded first.
• Check the actual result dimensions and byte count shown after processing. If a byte target cannot be achieved while preserving the preset canvas, the tool reports the miss.
• Open the downloaded file. Look for clipping, poor contrast, rotated text, blurred features or a background that does not meet the notice.
• Upload through the correct field of the official portal and keep your originals privately. Do not publish identity documents when asking others for help.

Read the error first. Check the actual encoding and extension: renaming a PNG or HEIC file to .jpg does not convert it. Verify dimensions, file size and the correct field, then reselect the downloaded file rather than a previous attempt.

A file that passes the numeric limits can still be rejected for visual reasons or because the session or browser has a problem. Follow the portal's advice, retry with a supported browser if appropriate and contact the recruiting authority if the reason is unclear. Do not assume that a resize tool can guarantee approval.