The upload box only checks the file: its size, format and sometimes its pixels. People check the photo, either when your application is scrutinised or when you show up at the exam centre and your face is matched against it. That is where photos that "uploaded fine" get rejected. Here is what the official notices actually say, so you can get it right the first time.
How much of the photo your face should fill
| Exam or document | What the notice says |
|---|---|
| JEE Main, NEET UG, CUET UG, UGC NET | About 80% of the photo should be your face, ears visible, no mask |
| UPSC | Face about 75% of the image, head centred, both ears visible, eyes open |
| NEET PG (NBEMS) | Face at least 70–80% of the frame; full face, ears, neck and shoulders visible |
| GATE | Face 60–70% of the image, frontal |
| MHT CET | Face about 80% of the photo, full head from hair to chin, centred |
| US visa | Head 50–69% of the image height |
| Canada visa | Head 31–36 mm tall in a 45 mm photo |
The common failure is the opposite of what people expect: a face that is too small, because the photo was cropped from a group shot or a full-length picture. Crop so your head and the top of your shoulders fill the frame.
Background
Most Indian exam bodies want white or a light plain colour, but not all of them. MPSC asks for a solid colour, preferably blue, green or red, and the OCI card wants a light colour that is not white. Details are in our background rules by exam.
Glasses, caps and masks
- NBEMS (NEET PG): no spectacles, cap, goggles, stethoscope or ornaments.
- SSC live photo: no cap, mask or spectacles.
- Banking (IBPS format): caps, hats and dark glasses are not allowed.
- US visa: glasses are not allowed at all.
- NTA exams: no mask.
Religious head coverings are generally allowed when the face is fully visible from the chin to the forehead, as MHT CET's brochure spells out, but follow the notice for your exam.
Selfies and old photos
NBEMS says plainly that selfies will be rejected and asks for a photo taken by someone else, preferably in a studio, within the last three months. Selfies are taken at arm's length, which distorts the nose and face and usually tilts the head. Even where selfies are not banned, ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 metres away at eye level.
Many notices also ask for a recent photo. NEET UG 2026 asked for one taken on or after 1 January 2026; CAT says not older than six months; NBEMS says three months. A photo from your college admission five years ago may not match your face at the centre.
Shadows and lighting
MHT CET's brochure asks for no shadows on the face or background, and NBEMS warns that flash creates shadows on a white background. Stand facing a window in daylight, a little away from the wall, so your own shadow falls behind you and out of the frame.
Editing
Cleaning the background is fine where a plain background is required. Retouching your face, changing its shape or using beauty filters is not, and it is exactly what face matching at the centre is designed to catch.
Name and date on the photo
Some forms want your name and the date the photo was taken printed on the photo itself. Kerala PSC requires it; TNPSC's FAQ is reported to require it. A photo without it can be rejected even if everything else is right. The name and date tool adds the strip without changing the size.