CompressifyPhoto & Document Size Requirements for Indian Government Portals
Nearly every Indian government and exam website enforces a strict file-size limit for your photo, signature and documents. Here is a practical reference — and how to hit those limits in seconds, for free.
If you have ever tried to fill an online application for a government job, an exam, a scholarship or a KYC update, you have probably met the dreaded error: "File size exceeds maximum allowed". A photo from a modern phone is often 2–5 MB, while these portals commonly accept only 20–200 KB. This guide collects the typical requirements in one place and shows you how to meet them without installing anything.
Typical photograph requirements
Most portals ask for a recent passport-style colour photograph on a light background, saved as JPG/JPEG. Common size ranges:
| Portal / use case | Format | Typical file size | Typical dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC (Staff Selection Commission) | JPEG | 20–50 KB | ~100×120 px |
| UPSC | JPEG | 20–300 KB | 350×350 px (approx) |
| IBPS / Bank exams | JPEG | 20–50 KB | 200×230 px |
| Aadhaar-linked services | JPEG | Under ~100 KB | Passport style |
| Passport Seva (photo, where required) | JPEG | Varies | Light background |
| College / university admission | JPEG | 50–200 KB | Passport style |
Typical signature requirements
Sign in black or blue ink on white paper, scan or photograph it, then crop tightly. Signatures are usually smaller than photos:
| Portal / use case | Format | Typical file size | Typical dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC | JPEG | 10–20 KB | ~140×60 px |
| UPSC | JPEG | 20–300 KB | 350×350 px (approx) |
| IBPS / Bank exams | JPEG | 10–20 KB | 140×60 px |
| General application forms | JPEG | 10–50 KB | Cropped tightly |
Typical document (PDF) requirements
Certificates, mark sheets and ID proofs are usually uploaded as PDF or JPEG. Scanned documents are often large, so compression matters:
| Document type | Format | Typical file size |
|---|---|---|
| Mark sheet / certificate | PDF or JPEG | 100–500 KB |
| ID proof (Aadhaar/PAN scan) | PDF or JPEG | 100–200 KB |
| Category / caste certificate | Under 500 KB – 1 MB | |
| Resume / bio-data | Under 1 MB (often) |
How to meet any size limit in 3 steps
- Start with a good original. Take the photo in daylight against a plain wall, or scan documents in grayscale to keep them small from the start.
- Resize first, then compress. Reducing the image's dimensions (for example, the longest side to 600–800 px) is the fastest way to drop the file size. Then lower the quality to fine-tune.
- Check the live size. In Compressify, the resulting file size updates as you adjust quality, so you can land just under the portal's limit without guessing.
Common problems and fixes
"My photo won't go below 20 KB"
20 KB is very small. Reduce the dimensions to around 400–500 px on the longest side before compressing, and keep the background plain — busy backgrounds add detail that increases file size.
"The portal rejects my PDF even though it's small"
Check the required format too. Some portals accept only JPEG, others only PDF. Compressify's image tool exports JPEG; for PDFs, use the PDF tool.
"My scanned document is blurry after compressing"
Scan in grayscale at 200–300 DPI, keep the page flat, then use a lighter compression level. This keeps text readable while still reducing size.