The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination annually. One of the primary causes of application cancellation during the initial screening process is the submission of non-compliant photos and signatures. Since the SSC CGL portal uses automated validation tools to reject faulty uploads, meeting the exact specifications is mandatory.
SSC CGL Photo Specifications
When preparing your candidate photo for the SSC CGL online application, keep the following specifications in mind:
- Dimensions: The photograph should have dimensions of 3.5 cm (width) × 4.5 cm (height). Pixel-wise, this translates to roughly 350x450 pixels.
- File Format: The file must be in JPEG/JPG format.
- File Size: The file size must be strictly between 20KB and 50KB. Uploads above 50KB or below 20KB are blocked by the portal.
- Background: A solid white or very light background is required. Dark, gradient, or outdoor backgrounds will cause rejections.
- Recency: The photo must not be older than three months from the notification date. It must represent your current look (beards, glasses, etc.).
SSC CGL Signature Specifications
Your signature block must follow these metrics:
- File Format: JPEG/JPG format only.
- File Size: The file size must be between 10KB and 20KB.
- Guidelines: Sign clearly on white paper using black or blue ink. The crop must be tight, with no dark shadows or gray backgrounds showing on the scanned paper.
SSC CGL Left Thumb Impression
Some registrations require a thumb impression:
- File Format: JPEG/JPG.
- File Size: Between 20KB and 50KB.
- Quality: Must be a clear blue or black ink impression on plain white paper. Blurry smudges will not be verified.
Most Common SSC CGL Upload Errors
Be aware of these common mistakes before uploading:
- Photo exceeds 50KB: High-resolution phone cameras produce images between 2MB and 6MB. These must be compressed down to under 50KB.
- Stretched aspect ratio: Manually scaling photos without maintaining aspect ratios causes the face to stretch horizontally or vertically.
- Gray scanned background: Taking a picture of a paper signature in poor light results in a dark grey background. Keep lighting uniform and bright.
Step-by-Step — Resize Photo to 50KB for SSC CGL
ResizeKB makes hitting this tight limit easy:
- Go to our Resize Image to 50KB tool page.
- Select your cropped passport photo and upload it.
- The tool runs a local quality-decimation logic to compress the image size below 50KB while retaining clear details. Download the compliant file.
Frequently Asked Questions
The recommended pixel resolution is 350 pixels (width) by 450 pixels (height) at 200 DPI.
Simply upload your image on our Resize to 50KB tool page. Our local script will optimize it to exactly under 50KB in milliseconds.
Yes. Stand in front of a white background with good light, take a front-facing selfie or portrait, crop the sides to passport shape, and compress it down to under 50KB.
Yes. Out-of-focus, low-resolution, or heavily blurred photos are one of the leading reasons candidate applications are rejected.
Crop the signature tightly on white paper, upload to our Resize Image to 20KB tool page, and download the output under the 20KB limit.
State-Specific Requirements
Select your state to view the detailed exam specifications and photo instructions tailored for local applicants: