What SSC asks for in 2026
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) changed its application process: the photograph is no longer an uploaded file. The online application captures a live photo with your webcam or phone camera while you fill in the form. What you still prepare yourself is the scanned signature.
These rules come from the SSC notice for the Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and CAPF examination 2026, published on 10 September 2026 (we read the Internet Archive copy because ssc.gov.in blocks automated readers). Other 2026 SSC notices use the same wording, but always check the notice for your own exam on ssc.gov.in.
| Item | Rule in the notice |
|---|---|
| Photograph | Captured live by the application module; candidates do not need an existing photo |
| Live photo | Good light, plain background, camera at eye level, look straight ahead, face fully inside the frame |
| Not allowed in the photo | Cap, mask, glasses or spectacles; capturing a photo of an existing photograph |
| Signature format | Scanned, JPEG/JPG |
| Signature file size | 10 to 20 KB |
| Signature dimensions | About 6.0 cm wide × 2.0 cm high |
| Rejection | Blurred or miniature signatures and photos not as per the specimen can be rejected |
One paragraph of the same notice mentions 4.0 cm instead of 6.0 cm for the width; the main application instructions say 6.0 × 2.0 cm, which is what this tool uses. The notice also says applications made with Aadhaar-based authentication are not rejected on photo or signature grounds.
How the signature tool works
Most people photograph their signature with a phone, which gives grey paper, shadows and lots of empty space. The tool fixes that in your browser:
- Whitens the paper: it measures how bright the paper is and stretches the levels so paper becomes white and ink becomes darker.
- Crops to the signature, ignoring tiny specks, with a small margin.
- Fits it into 6.0 × 2.0 cm: at 300 DPI that is 709 × 236 pixels, and 300 DPI is stored in the file so it measures 6 × 2 cm in any program.
- Saves a JPG between 10 and 20 KB: if the first save is over 20 KB, the JPG quality is lowered just enough; if it is under 10 KB, it is saved at maximum quality.
The size line under the button shows the real file size, so you can see it is inside the 10–20 KB range before you upload it.
Getting a clean signature
- Sign in black or dark blue ink with a pen that gives a firm line (a gel or ball pen, not a pencil).
- Use plain white paper, not lined or coloured paper.
- Sign at your normal size across about 6 cm, leaving space around it.
- Photograph it from directly above in daylight, without your shadow or the phone’s shadow on the paper.
- If the result is under 10 KB, untick Make the paper white (some paper texture adds bytes) or photograph the signature larger.
Preparing for the live photo
Because the photo is taken during the application, a little preparation avoids having to recapture it:
- Sit facing a window or a lamp, with a plain light wall behind you.
- Put the laptop or phone on a stack of books so the camera is at eye level.
- Remove cap, mask and glasses. Tie back hair that covers your face.
- Keep your face fully inside the rectangle the camera shows. If the capture looks wrong, recapture it before submitting.
- Look the same on exam day as in the photo: the notice warns that your appearance should match the photograph in the application.
If your camera does not work, the notice says you can use the SSC app on an Android phone (via a QR code on the upload page) to capture the photo.
Worked example
A candidate for the SSC CGL exam signs on white printer paper and takes a phone photo (3000 × 4000 pixels, mostly empty paper). The tool whitens the paper, crops to the signature (about 1400 × 450 pixels of ink) and fits it into 709 × 236 pixels. The download reads, for example, “709 × 236 px, 14.8 KB”, inside 10–20 KB, and the file is ready to upload.
Related tools
UPSC asks for a different signature (three signatures, 20–100 KB) and an uploaded photo: use the UPSC Photo Resizer. For other forms with a 20 KB limit, use Compress Image to 20 KB. Certificates as PDF: JPG to PDF. Your signature is processed on your device and never uploaded.