SSC Exam Photo Size: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, 20-50 KB, Done Right (Free Tool)
SSC forms reject more uploads for size and weight than for anything else, and the rejection message never says which number you missed. The photo window is narrow: 3.5 x 4.5 cm at 20 to 50 KB, with signatures in their own band.
This guide lists the current working specs, their pixel equivalents at print resolution, and the two-minute path to a file that clears the portal check.
The numbers the portal checks
Photo: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, which is 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI, file weight between 20 and 50 KB, JPG format, plain light background, face centred and neutral.
Signature: 4 x 2 cm or 6 x 2 cm depending on the notice, weight between 10 and 20 KB, dark ink on white paper.
- These are the working specs the SSC resizer applies as presets; your current notice always wins if it differs.
Recent CGL and CHSL notices have stayed inside these bands, which is why the presets exist at all.
Two-minute path to a compliant file
- Open SSC Photo Resizer and add your photo.
- The preset applies 413 x 531 px and the 20-50 KB window automatically.
- Check the live weight readout; if you sit under 20 KB, raise quality slightly rather than upsizing pixels.
- Repeat in the signature tab at 4 x 2 or 6 x 2 cm, 10-20 KB, then download both.
Why weight windows exist
Portals cap weight to keep verification servers fast, and floor it to stop blurred thumbnails reaching reviewers. A 12 KB photo looks fine on your screen and fails both tests.
Sitting mid-window, around 30-40 KB, leaves margin for re-encodes the portal may apply on upload.
Common rejection triggers beyond size
Coloured or patterned backgrounds, shadows behind shoulders, spectacles glare and cropped chins reject more files than dimensions do. Face indirect daylight, plain wall, camera at eye level.
If your source photo is small, upscale before cropping so the face keeps edge definition at 413 px wide.
Try it free: SSC Photo Resizer | runs entirely in your browser, no uploads and no signup.