SSC Photo and Signature Size: CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Guide

For most SSC exams (CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD and others), the signature should be a JPG/JPEG of 10–20 KB, and the photo, when a file upload is accepted, has traditionally been a JPG of 20–50 KB. Recent SSC cycles have moved to a live photo captured through the application module, so you may not upload a photo file at all. Pixel dimensions vary between sources, so treat the notice for your specific exam as the final word.

This guide explains what is consistent, where sources disagree, and how to prepare files that pass.

SSC upload specs at a glance

These values come from SSC notices of recent years and widely used guides. Where sources conflict, the table says so.

Why the dimensions disagree: Older SSC notices described sizes in centimetres. Third-party guides then converted them to pixels using different assumptions, or copied bank exam values like 140 x 60 px. The KB range is what the portal checks most strictly, so get that right first, and use the cm size from your notice for proportions.

The live photo rule

SSC has shifted toward taking the candidate's photograph live during registration or application, using a laptop webcam or phone camera. The aim is to stop old, edited or mismatched photos. If your notice says the photo will be captured live:

• Sit facing a plain, light-coloured wall.
• Use soft, even light from the front; avoid a window behind you.
• Remove caps and dark glasses, and keep your face centred and fully visible.
• Use a device with a working camera and allow the browser camera permission.

You will not need a photo file in this case. But you should still keep a recent passport photo ready, because the admit card or document verification may ask for one. Our SSC photo resizer helps if a file upload is requested.

How to prepare the SSC signature

1. Sign on plain white paper with a black ink pen. Use your normal running signature, not capital letters.
2. Photograph it in good daylight, holding the phone parallel to the paper so the signature is not skewed.
3. Crop tightly around the signature, leaving a small margin.
4. Open the SSC signature resizer. It sets proportions close to the notice and compresses the file into the 10–20 KB range.
5. Check the downloaded file: JPG, between 10 and 20 KB, and readable when zoomed.

If your notice specifies cm (for example 6.0 cm x 2.0 cm), you can also use resize image in cm and then compress image to 20 KB. Both run in your browser, so the signature image stays on your device.

How to prepare an SSC photo file (when uploads are allowed)

• Recent colour photo, plain light background, face filling most of the frame.
• No cap, no dark glasses, both ears ideally visible.
• Size it to about 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm proportions (portrait), then compress to 20–50 KB.
• Aim for about 30–40 KB to stay safely inside the range.

The SSC photo resizer handles the crop ratio and compression in one step.

Differences between CGL, CHSL, MTS and GD

All four exams are run by the Staff Selection Commission through the same online system on ssc.gov.in, so the upload rules are usually the same across them. What differs is the eligibility, exam pattern and timeline, not the photo and signature format. That said, SSC has changed rules mid-year before (the live photo change is one example), so do not assume last year's guide applies. Download the notice PDF for the exact exam and search it for "photograph" and "signature".

Common rejection reasons

• Signature in capital letters. SSC has explicitly said this is not acceptable.
• Signature or photo outside the KB range, including files that are too small.
• Blurred or dark live photo because of poor lighting or a moving camera.
• Photo with cap, sunglasses or a busy background.
• Mismatch between the photo you uploaded or captured and how you look at the exam centre. Keep your appearance reasonably similar.
• Wrong file type, such as PNG or HEIC. Convert with PNG to JPG or HEIC to JPG.

Converting cm to pixels for SSC

When a notice gives a size in centimetres, the pixel count depends on the resolution (DPI) you assume. At 100 DPI, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm is about 138 x 177 px; at 200 DPI it is about 276 x 354 px. This is exactly why guides quote different pixel sizes for the same rule. Portals rarely check DPI. They check file type, KB size and sometimes that the image is roughly the right shape. So keep the proportions right (portrait for the photo, a wide strip for the signature) and the KB range right, and the exact pixel count matters much less.

Keep a reusable set of files

If you apply for more than one SSC exam in a year, save your final signature file and a recent photo in a folder named clearly, along with the date. You will need the same signature for the admit card, the exam and document verification, and it should match each time. Making a new signature for every form is a common cause of mismatches.

Before you submit

Open the preview in the form and look closely. If the signature looks faint or the photo looks squashed, fix it now; SSC correction windows are short and not always offered for every field. A two-minute check here saves a lot of trouble later.

Questions