UPSC application photo (20–200 KB): size rules and how to meet them
Every UPSC online application asks for a recent photograph as a JPG between 20 KB and a few hundred KB, between 350 and 1000 pixels per side. UPSC uses it to identify you at the exam hall, so it must be clear.
The official rule
between 20 and 200 KB
JPG, between 350 × 350 and 1000 × 1000 pixels. The UPSC FAQ allows 20–300 KB; recent exam notices ask for at most 200 KB, so we aim for 20–200 KB, which meets both. Check the notice for your exam.
Not stated by the source: pixel size.
Source: UPSC Online — FAQ · Last checked 22 October 2026
Rules can change. Check the portal's own instructions before you submit.
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Steps
- Take a recent photo facing the camera against a plain light background, with your face clearly visible.
- Choose it here with the UPSC photo preset. It keeps the file between 20 and 200 KB and the longest side at 1000 pixels or less.
- Preview the photo on the UPSC portal before you click Confirm Upload: after that it cannot be changed.
Common mistakes
- A file under 20 KB: the portal refuses files that are too small, not only too large.
- A blurry or dark photo: UPSC says a poor-quality photo can get the application rejected.
- Forgetting to check the notice for your exam, which can set a stricter limit.