UPSC CSE 2028 Notification, Photo Size & Documents (Expected)
UPSC Civil Services 2028 is expected to be notified in Jan–Feb 2028 with prelims in late May. Photo, triple signature and document rules to plan for.
These are based on the previous cycle and public reports. The official notification can change anything here.
Expected timeline
Around May 2027 (expected)
UPSC 2028 exam calendar
UPSC released its 2027 calendar on 20 May 2026.
January–February 2028 (expected)
Notification and form opens
The 2027 calendar lists 13 January 2027; the 2026 notice came out on 4 February 2026.
Late May 2028 (expected)
Prelims
Prelims were on 24 May 2026, and 23 May 2027 is listed for 2027, both Sundays.
August 2028 (expected)
Mains
Mains was on 21 August 2026 and is listed from 20 August 2027.
Photo and signature spec
| File | Dimensions | File size | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | 350 × 350 px | 20–200 KB | JPG |
| Signature | 350 × 500 px | 20–100 KB | JPG |
Other documents: Based on the 2026 rules: photo JPG 20–200 KB, white background; one image with three signatures in black ink, 20–100 KB; live photo matched at submission. Check the 2028 notice.
UPSC has not announced anything for Civil Services 2028 yet. Going by the last two cycles, the notification is expected in January or February 2028, with prelims in late May 2028 and Mains in August 2028. Plan for the 2026-style uploads: a 20–200 KB white-background photo, a three-signature image of 20–100 KB, and a live photo during submission.
The exact dates will appear first in UPSC's annual calendar. The 2027 calendar was released on 20 May 2026, so watch for the 2028 calendar around May 2027.
What you will probably need
| Item | Format | Size (2026 rules) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG | 20–200 KB | Plain white background, face at least 75%, ears visible |
| Signature | JPG | 20–100 KB | Three signatures stacked vertically, black ink, white paper |
| Live photo | Captured in the form | — | Webcam or phone; must match your uploaded photo |
| Photo ID details | As per notice | — | Bring the same ID to the exam |
Planning a 2028 attempt
Eligibility. Check your age on 1 August 2028 against the limit for your category, and count your remaining attempts. Final-year students can usually apply for prelims, with proof of graduation needed later.
Documents for later stages. Category, EWS, PwD and educational certificates are checked at the Mains and interview stage. Keep clean PDF scans of all of them. Use compress PDF if a scan is too big to email or upload.
Name consistency. Your name and date of birth must match your Class 10 certificate. Fix any mismatch with your photo ID before you apply.
Preparing the photo and signature
- Take a fresh photo close to the form date, on a plain white background, with your full face visible.
- Size it with the UPSC photo resizer.
- Sign three times in black ink, one below the other, on white unruled paper.
- Crop and size the image with the UPSC signature resizer, and use compress image to 100 KB if it is too heavy.
Timeline notes
- Calendar: expected around May 2027.
- Notification and form: expected January–February 2028, open for about three weeks.
- Prelims: expected late May 2028.
- Mains: expected August 2028.
These are estimates from the 2026 and 2027 schedules. The official notice on upsc.gov.in is the only confirmation.
Getting the live photo right
The live photo match was new in the 2026 cycle and caught many applicants out. A few habits help:
- Use the same glasses, hairstyle and beard in the live photo as in the uploaded one.
- Sit facing a window or a lamp so there are no shadows across your face.
- Keep the camera at eye level and your face straight, not tilted.
- Use a laptop webcam or a phone on a stable surface so the image is not blurred.
- Take the uploaded photo recently. An old studio photo may not match how you look now.
If the match fails, the form will not let you continue, so leave yourself time before the deadline to try again in better light. Keep the uploaded photo file safe too, because UPSC can ask you to bring matching prints to the exam and the interview.
Common reasons uploads get rejected
- A signature image with one signature, or signatures side by side.
- Blue ink or ruled paper for the signature.
- A photo with a coloured background, a small face, or glare on glasses.
- A live photo that does not look like the uploaded one.
- Files just over the KB limit.
Questions
When will the UPSC CSE 2028 notification come out?
It is expected in January or February 2028. UPSC publishes the exact date in its annual calendar, which for 2027 came out in May of the previous year.
When is UPSC prelims 2028?
Not announced. Recent prelims were on the last or second-last Sunday of May (24 May 2026, 23 May 2027), so late May 2028 is the likely window.
Will the photo and signature rules change for 2028?
UPSC changed its rules for 2026, adding a live photo match and a three-signature image. Expect those to continue, but always read the 2028 notice, because UPSC revises instructions without much warning.
Sources
- Official: upsc.gov.in
- visionias.in/blog/upsc-news/upsc-calendar-2027-out-cse-prelims-on-23-may-2027-ch
- news.careers360.com/upsc-exam-calendar-2026-out-on-upsc-gov-in-cse-ifs-prelims-o
- visionias.in/blog/upsc-news/upsc-new-photo-signature-rules-2026-dos-and-donts
- laex.in/upsc-cse-2026-notification-is-out-changes-and-eligibility/