A common range for forms
20 to 50 KB is one of the most frequent photo limits on Indian recruitment and admission forms. It comfortably holds a passport-style photo of about 276 × 354 pixels, which is 3.5 × 4.5 cm at 200 DPI.
Converting centimetres to pixels
Pixels = centimetres × DPI ÷ 2.54. At 200 DPI, 3.5 cm is 276 pixels and 4.5 cm is 354 pixels. If the form does not state a DPI, 200 is a safe choice.
Why uploads get rejected
- The file is a few KB over or under the allowed range.
- The file is PNG, HEIC or PDF when the form accepts only JPG.
- The face is too small, off-centre or in shadow, or the background is not plain and light.
- The signature is in capital letters, faint, or signed by someone else.
- A screenshot or a photo forwarded through a chat app was used, which lowers quality.
Questions and answers
Why does my file show a different KB on my phone?
Some systems count 1 KB as 1,000 bytes and others as 1,024. The tool keeps the file inside the range under both ways of counting.
Can I use a selfie?
Yes, if it is sharp, evenly lit, on a plain light background and your form allows it. Hold the phone at eye level.