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Live photo capture in SSC and RRB forms — what to do

If you are filling an SSC or RRB form for the first time in a while, this will surprise you: there is no photo upload any more. The form opens your webcam or phone camera and takes your photo live. Many candidates still go looking for a “200 × 230 photo” — you do not need one for these exams.

What you still need is a signature file. And the live photo still has rules: if it is dark, blurred or taken with a cap on, your form can be rejected later.

This guide covers both.

Which exams take the photo live?

ExamPhotoSignature you upload
SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, SSC CPOLive (webcam or SSC app)~6.0 × 2.0 cm ≈ 472 × 157 px, 10–20 KB, JPG
SSC GDLive709 × 236 px (6.0 × 2.0 cm at 300 DPI), 10–20 KB, JPG
RRB ALP, RRB Group D, RRB NTPCLiveat least 140 × 60 px, 30–49 KB, JPG

These values are from recent notices. Always check the latest official notice before you apply.

Banking exams (IBPS PO, SBI Clerk), NTA exams (NEET UG, JEE Main) and UPSC CSE are different: you upload a photo and a live photo is taken (in the form or at the centre). Your uploaded photo and your face on the day must match.

Before you start the form

Get these ready so the live photo works in one go:

  1. A plain wall — white or light coloured, no posters, no cupboard, no patterned curtain.
  2. Good light from the front. Sit facing a window in daytime, or put a lamp behind the screen pointing at your face. Light from behind turns your face into a dark shadow.
  3. A working camera. On a laptop, close other apps that use the webcam (video calls). On a phone, allow camera permission when the browser asks.
  4. A stable position. Prop the phone on a stack of books, or sit straight in front of the laptop. A shaky hand gives a blurred photo.
  5. Your signature file already made (see below), so you are not rushing once the timer starts.

How to take the live photo

  1. Sit about an arm’s length from the camera. Your head and the top of your shoulders should be in the frame.
  2. Camera at eye level. Not looking up from a phone on your lap, not looking down from a high shelf.
  3. Look straight at the camera, not at the screen. Keep a neutral face, mouth closed.
  4. Remove cap, mask and dark glasses. Regular glasses can cause glare — take them off if you see a reflection. Religious headwear is fine if your full face is visible.
  5. Keep hair away from your eyes and face. Both ears visible is ideal.
  6. Wait for the photo to be taken and check the preview. If it is dark, blurred or cut off, retake it before you submit.

Most portals let you recapture before final submission. Once submitted, you usually cannot change it.

What gets live photos rejected

  • Dark room or back-lit face. The most common problem. Face the light.
  • Cap, mask, sunglasses or a hand on the face.
  • Face too small — sitting too far away so you are a tiny figure in the middle.
  • Face cut off at the top or chin.
  • Someone else in the frame, or a photo of a photo. The live capture must be you, live.
  • Very different look from your ID or from how you appear at the exam. Do not change your look drastically between form and exam day.

The signature: still uploaded, still checked

Since the photo is live, the signature is the one image you control — and SSC and RRB are strict about it.

SSC signature (10–20 KB)

The SSC notice says blurred or “miniature” signatures will be rejected. Miniature means a tiny signature inside a big white image.

  1. Sign with a black pen on plain white paper, about 6–8 cm wide.
  2. Photograph it from straight above in daylight.
  3. Open Signature Resize or your SSC exam page.
  4. Crop close so the ink fills most of the box.
  5. Let it fit to 472 × 157 px (SSC GD: 709 × 236 px) and 10–20 KB.

RRB signature (30–49 KB)

RRB has a minimum of 30 KB. A clean signature often saves at only 10–15 KB, so the portal says it is too small. SahiSize’s RRB presets handle this: they use higher quality and a larger pixel size first, and only if needed add a faint grain or white padding, so the file reaches 30 KB without changing how the signature looks.

Full steps: How to scan your signature with a phone.

Other uploads in RRB forms

SC/ST candidates who want the free travel pass upload their SC/ST certificate as a PDF under 400 KB. If yours is a big scan, see how to make a certificate PDF under 300 KB — the same steps work for 400 KB.

Quick checklist

  1. Plain light wall behind you.
  2. Light on your face, not behind you.
  3. Camera at eye level, arm’s length away.
  4. No cap, mask or dark glasses.
  5. Check preview; retake if needed.
  6. Signature file ready at the right KB.

FAQ

Do I need to upload a passport photo for SSC CGL?

No. SSC captures your photo live through the webcam or the SSC app. You only upload the signature (and a PwBD certificate if it applies to you).

Can I take the live photo on my phone?

Yes, if the form works on your phone browser and you allow camera access. Prop the phone at eye level instead of holding it out — a selfie angle from below often looks distorted.

What if the live photo comes out dark?

Retake it before submitting. Turn on the room light, face a window, or move the lamp in front of you. Do not submit a photo where your face is hard to see.

Should I wear glasses?

Only if you always wear them, and only if there is no glare on the lenses. If you see a white reflection, take them off.

Is SahiSize part of SSC or RRB?

No. SahiSize is an independent tool and is not affiliated with SSC, RRB or any exam body. It runs in your browser and never uploads your files. Always check the latest official notice.