Online exam forms refuse documents for a few avoidable reasons. The photo is too large. The signature has a grey background. The marksheet PDF is over the limit shown next to the upload box. The Aadhaar shows all 12 digits. Each takes a few minutes to fix if you prepare the files before you open the form.
Quick checklist
- ✓Photo — a JPG file for IBPS, SBI and UPSC; no file at all for SSC and RRB, which photograph you live in the form
- ✓Signature — black ink on white paper, saved as a JPG inside the exam's KB band
- ✓Certificate PDFs — only the pages the form asks for, compressed to the limit shown next to each upload box
- ✓Aadhaar — a masked copy with only the last 4 digits visible, unless the form asks for the full number
The photo and the signature
Exams don't share one photo size. IBPS and SBI want a 20–50 KB photo at 200×230 px, UPSC accepts 20–200 KB with no fixed pixel size, and SSC and RRB take the photo live through your camera. Signatures differ too, and UPSC wants three signatures in one image. The bands for each exam are in the exam photo and signature size guide, and the signing steps are in how to sign an exam application form.
The Exam Application Kit makes both files for the exam you pick, at the sizes its notice gives. Where a figure on an exam page is marked as not yet confirmed, check it against the live form before you upload.
Certificate PDFs
Certificate limits are set by each upload box, so read the size and format printed beside it before compressing; there is no common 50 or 100 KB figure. Then:
- 10th and 12th marksheets — keep only the pages the form asks for (most PDF readers can save selected pages as a new PDF), then compress.
- Degree or diploma certificate — keep the required page readable at the size the box allows.
- Caste, category, income or domicile certificate — include the whole certificate and keep seals and text readable.
- Experience letter or NOC — combine only the pages the form asks for, in the stated order. Combine first and compress the combined file, because merging adds the sizes together.
If a scan will not come under the limit, scan it again at 150 to 200 DPI, or in black and white for a text-only page, rather than squeezing a full-colour scan harder. Keep colour where a seal or stamp needs it, and check every page after compressing.
A masked Aadhaar
UIDAI recommends sharing a masked Aadhaar, with only the last 4 of the 12 digits visible, wherever the full number isn't legally required. The simplest way is UIDAI's own: on myAadhaar, choose the masked version when you download e-Aadhaar. If you mask a copy yourself, the box must be solid and saved into the image; a box drawn on top of a PDF can often be deleted. The Aadhaar masking guide covers both routes. If the form asks for the full number, follow the form.
An order that saves redoing work
- Photo. For forms that take a file, take a fresh photo on a plain white background and prepare it for your exam.
- Signature. Sign on white paper, photograph it, crop to the ink and size it to the exam's KB band.
- Certificates. Scan each page flat in good light, keep only the requested pages, then compress each file to its box's limit.
- Aadhaar. Download the masked e-Aadhaar and compress it if the box needs a smaller file.
- Upload. Keep every file in one folder named after the exam and year, so a timed-out session doesn't send you hunting for them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload a colour scan of my marksheet, or does it need to be greyscale?
Use the colour mode the form asks for. Greyscale makes a text-only page smaller, but it can wash out coloured seals, stamps or signatures, so preview the result before submitting.
How far can I compress a certificate PDF?
Only to the limit shown by the upload box, and check every page afterward. Very small files can make text, stamps, signatures or QR codes unreadable, so remove pages the form didn't ask for before lowering the quality.