IBPS PO Photo, Signature, Left Thumb Impression and Handwritten Declaration: The Four Uploads Explained (CRP PO/MT-XVI)

Every IBPS application asks for four images. The photograph and signature are familiar from other exams; the left thumb impression and the handwritten declaration are not, and they are where most candidates get stuck. This guide follows Annexure III ("Guidelines for Scanning and Upload of Documents") of the IBPS CRP PO/MT-XVI notification (vacancies of 2027-28). Other IBPS notifications use a very similar annexure, but always check the one you are applying under. The four uploads at a glance Upload What it is Preferred dimensions File size Format Photograph Recent passport-style colour photo (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm) 200 x 230 pixels 20 KB to 50 KB JPG/JPEG Signature Signed on white paper with a black ink pen 140 x 60 pixels 10 KB to 20 KB JPG/JPEG Left thumb impression Thumb impression on white paper, black or blue ink 240 x 240 pixels at 200 DPI (3 cm x 3 cm) 20 KB to 50 KB JPG/JPEG Handwritten declaration Fixed English text written by hand on white paper, black ink 800 x 400 pixels at 200 DPI (10 cm x 5 cm) 50 KB to 100 KB JPG/JPEG The form also asks for a live photograph and your Class 10 certificate (covered below). Note that each image has a minimum as well as a maximum size: a 9 KB signature fails just like a 25 KB one. And the system "will not allow the candidate to move forward to the next stage of application" until the photo and signature meet the specifications. 1. The photograph (20-50 KB, 200 x 230 px) The IBPS photo rules are short but strict: A recent, passport-style colour photo against a light-coloured, preferably white, background. Look straight at the camera with a relaxed face. No harsh shadows and no squinting: if you shoot outdoors on a sunny day, keep the sun behind you or stand in the shade. If you use flash, make sure there is no red-eye. Glasses are allowed only if there are no reflections and your eyes are clearly visible. Caps, hats and dark glasses are not acceptable. Religious headwear is allowed, but it must not cover your face. One rule matters more than the pixel count: keep copies of the same photograph. IBPS asks candidates to retain prints of the uploaded photo for later stages and not to change their appearance until selection is complete, because your photo and biometric data (usually the right thumb) can be captured and matched at the exam centre. 200 x 230 pixels is "preferred", not mandatory, but sticking to it is the easiest way to land inside 20-50 KB; a 3-5 MB phone photo has to be cropped and compressed. 2. The live photograph Separately from the uploaded photo, you have to capture a live photograph during registration, either with a webcam ("Capture Photo") or by scanning a QR code with your phone ("Click here to Scan"). The image is uploaded into the form automatically. The do's and don'ts mirror the uploaded photo: light, preferably white background, enough light, look straight at the camera. No sunglasses, caps or mask, no shadow on the face and no blur. Sitting facing a window in daylight usually works first time. 3. The signature (10-20 KB, 140 x 60 px) Sign on white paper with a black ink pen. Preferred dimensions 140 x 60 pixels, file size 10-20 KB. The signature must not be in capital letters. A name printed in block capitals is not accepted as a signature. Your uploaded signature is compared with the one on your call letter and attendance sheet on exam day, and a mismatch means disqualification, so use your normal everyday signature. Crop tightly, leaving only a small white margin. If you're not sure whether to scan or photograph your signature, either works as long as the paper comes out white rather than grey and the ink stays dark and sharp. 4. The left thumb impression (20-50 KB, 240 x 240 px) This is the upload most candidates have never done before. Put your left thumb impression on white paper using black or blue ink (a normal stamp pad works). JPG/JPEG, 240 x 240 pixels at 200 DPI (that is 3 cm x 3 cm), 20-50 KB. For a clean impression, press lightly on the stamp pad (too much ink fills the ridges), dab once on scrap paper, then make two or three impressions on clean white paper and pick the clearest. Crop to a square with the print centred. The notification covers the exceptions too. If a candidate has no left thumb, the right thumb can be used. If both thumbs are missing, use a finger of the left hand, starting from the forefinger. If there are no fingers on the left hand, use a finger of the right hand, again starting from the forefinger. If no fingers are available, the left toe impression may be used. In every one of these cases, the uploaded document must state which finger (or toe) and which hand or foot was used. Clarity is a rejection reason in its own right: IBPS rejects applications where the photo, signature, thumb impression or declaration is unclear or smudged. 5. The handwritten declaration (50-100 KB, 800 x 400 px) This is the largest of the four images and the one with the most rules. Write it by hand, in English, clearly, on white paper with black ink. Not in capital letters. Write in normal running or cursive handwriting. It must be in your own handwriting. If someone else writes it, or it is in any other language, the application is treated as invalid. JPG/JPEG, 800 x 400 pixels at 200 DPI (10 cm x 5 cm), 50-100 KB. The text to copy is printed in the notification: "I, _______ (Name of the candidate), hereby declare that all the information submitted by me in the application form is correct, true and valid. I will present the supporting documents as and when required." Use your name exactly as in the application, and write the text as a block about twice as wide as it is tall (10 cm x 5 cm) so it fits 800 x 400 without squashing. Candidates who cannot write may get the declaration typed and put their left thumb impression below it (if they cannot sign either), then upload that page to the same specifications. 6. Scanning settings that IBPS recommends IBPS gives its own scanning checklist, which works just as well for a phone scan: Resolution of at least 200 DPI. Colour set to True Colour. Crop to the edge of the photo, signature, thumb impression or declaration, then use the upload editor to crop to the final size. Save as .jpg or .jpeg (for example image01.jpg); MS Paint's "Save As" works. If a file is over the limit, adjust DPI or colour settings while scanning. The Class 10 certificate is different: it must be a PDF, A4 page size, not more than 500 KB, and clearly readable. After uploading, look at the preview. IBPS shows it so you can re-upload an unclear or smudged image, and it is far easier to fix it here than after the application is submitted. If the portal shows a size, format or dimension error, this guide to what common exam-portal upload errors actually mean explains most of them and how to fix each one. 7. Common reasons these uploads get rejected File below the minimum size (a 7 KB signature, a 40 KB declaration). Raise the JPG quality slightly. Declaration or signature in capital letters. It has to be rewritten, not re-scanned. Wrong image in the wrong slot, such as the thumb impression in the signature field. Smudged thumb impression from too much ink. Grey, shadowed paper from shooting under a ceiling light at night. PNG or HEIC files straight from a phone when only JPG/JPEG is accepted. A quick workflow that works Take the photo in daylight against a white wall and keep prints. Prepare three sheets of white paper: signatures (black pen), thumb impressions, and the declaration (black ink, English, no capitals). Scan or photograph them flat in good light. Crop and resize each image to its target: 200 x 230 (photo), 140 x 60 (signature), 240 x 240 (thumb) and 800 x 400 (declaration), then compress each one into its KB window. A free photo and signature resizer like PhotoFix runs in the browser and lets you set the exact pixel size and KB range, so you don't need to install anything. Check every file's size and format before you open the application form, and keep the final versions in one folder for the Main exam and interview stages. Source: Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), Notification CRP PO/MT-XVI (Vacancies of 2027-28), clauses on photograph, signature, biometric verification and handwritten declaration, and Annexure III "Guidelines for Scanning and Upload of Documents" (online registration 01-07-2026 to 21-07-2026). Official website: www.ibps.in. Always check the annexure of the specific IBPS notification you are applying for, because specifications can change between cycles.