Why exam photo and signature uploads get rejected
An upload that is refused a day before the deadline is stressful. Almost every rejection comes down to one of a handful of reasons, and each has a simple fix.
1. The file is outside the KB range
Portals check the file size automatically. Over the maximum, even by a few bytes, and the upload is refused. Under the minimum, and it is refused too. Make the file with a tool that targets the range, and keep a small margin inside it, because portals count KB differently (1000 or 1024 bytes).
2. The pixel size is wrong
Some exams ask for an exact size, such as 200 × 230 pixels, and others for a range. A photo straight from a phone is thousands of pixels wide and will be refused. Resizing it with "keep proportions" may also give the wrong height. Use the exam preset, which crops to the exact shape the portal expects.
3. The format is not JPG
Most exam portals accept only JPG or JPEG. PNG, HEIC (from iPhones) and WebP are often refused, even if the picture is perfect. Make sure the downloaded file ends in .jpg.
4. The photo itself breaks a rule
- Background not plain or not light. Use a white or light background.
- Face too small, cut off, or not looking at the camera.
- Caps, sunglasses or heavy filters.
- An old photo that does not match how you look now.
- A photo of a printed photo, or a screenshot.
5. The signature is not acceptable
- Signed in capital letters. Most exams want your normal running signature.
- Signed on lined paper, or with a faint pen, so the portal or the checker cannot read it.
- Shadows or grey paper around the signature.
- For UPSC, signing once instead of three times on one sheet.
6. The thumb impression or declaration is unclear
For banking exams, a thumb impression that is a solid blot, or a declaration written in capitals, typed, or not in the exact words of the notice, can be rejected at verification even if the upload itself was accepted. Follow the notice word for word.
How to check before you upload
In the exam photo tool, pick your exam and use Check a file I already have. It reads the file the way a portal does, tells you which rule it breaks and offers to fix it.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
My upload was accepted but I am worried it is wrong. What should I do?
Most portals let you change uploads until the final submission. Check the photo and signature preview on the portal, and re-upload a corrected file before you pay or submit, if the portal allows it.