SSC CGL 2026 Photo and Signature Requirements: Complete Size Guide

The SSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level) examination is one of the most competitive gateways to Group B and Group C posts in ministries, departments and attached offices under the Government of India. Every year lakhs of candidates fill the online application, and every year a surprising number of applications get rejected — not because of eligibility, but because of a blurry photo or an oversized signature file.

This guide walks you through exactly what the SSC wants, how to prepare your images correctly, and how to avoid the small mistakes that cost big.

Why SSC Is Strict About Photos

SSC uses your photograph for identity verification at every stage: exam hall entry, document verification, medical examination (if applicable) and finally at the time of joining. If the photograph in your application does not match your face on the day of the exam, the invigilator has the right to disqualify you. A low-resolution or cropped photo makes identification hard, and a photo older than three months may not reflect your current appearance — both are grounds for rejection.

The Exact Photo Specifications

For SSC CGL applications the recommended photo specification is:

Dimensions: 200 x 230 pixels (width x height)
File size: 20 KB to 50 KB
Format: JPG / JPEG only
Background: Plain light-coloured — white or off-white is safest
Colour: Full colour (no black and white)
Age: Taken within the last 3 months
Face coverage: Approximately 50-60% of the total photo area
Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking forward
Accessories: No caps, no tinted glasses, no heavy makeup

If you wear prescription glasses every day, keep them on — but ensure there is no glare. Religious headwear that does not cover the face is acceptable.

Signature Specifications

Dimensions: 140 x 60 pixels
File size: 10 KB to 20 KB
Format: JPG / JPEG
Ink: Black or blue ballpoint pen
Paper: Plain white, unruled
Style: Running script — NOT block capital letters. SSC specifically disqualifies signatures in capital letters.

Sign naturally, the way you always do. Remember: this signature becomes the official reference for every SSC document you sign thereafter, including the admit card, answer sheet and joining letter.

Step-by-Step: Getting the Files Ready

Click a fresh photo with your phone in natural light, standing against a plain white wall.
Crop it to roughly a 4:5 aspect ratio, keeping your face centered.
Sign on a clean sheet of plain paper with a black ballpoint pen. Keep the signature around 2 cm tall.
Photograph or scan the signature and crop out the blank paper around it.
Use a browser-based resizer (like the one on this site) to bring both files to the exact pixel and KB specification.
Save with clear filenames: cgl-photo.jpg and cgl-signature.jpg.

The 7 Most Common Rejection Reasons

Photo too old or too "edited" — beauty filters soften facial landmarks, making ID verification fail.
Busy background — walls with posters, curtains, or another person in frame.
Wrong file format — uploading PNG when only JPG is accepted.
Over-compressed photo — below 10 KB often becomes pixelated.
Photo exceeds 50 KB — the portal rejects it outright.
Signature in CAPITAL letters — explicitly disallowed.
Mirror-image signature — when people sign on transparent paper and scan it backwards.

A Quick Shortcut

If you already have a photo that is close to the right size, resize it online in seconds with our SSC CGL photo resizer — the tool is preset with the exact specifications, processes your image entirely in the browser, and never uploads anything to a server.

Final Checklist Before You Submit

Photo is 200x230 px, 20-50 KB, JPG
Signature is 140x60 px, 10-20 KB, JPG
Photo is recent, front-facing, plain background
Signature is in running handwriting with black ink
Files are named clearly
Both open and display correctly on your device

Take five extra minutes here and save yourself months of heartbreak. Good luck with your SSC CGL preparation — you're one checklist away from a clean, accepted application.