NDA 2025 Photo & Signature Guidelines
Because the National Defence Academy exam is conducted by the UPSC, the strict document upload rules apply here as well. Learn the required pixel resolutions to ensure your application passes.
The National Defence Academy (NDA) examination is the gateway for young candidates to join the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Because the exam is administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the document upload portal shares the exact same rigorous screening process as the Civil Services Exam.
If your passport photo is blurry, has an incorrect aspect ratio, or lacks the mandatory date-stamp, your admit card will be withheld. Here are the exact requirements for the current admission cycle.
1. The Photograph Specifications (Crucial!)
The UPSC recently updated their rules to require explicit text printed upon the photograph. The photo must not be more than 10 days old from the date you submit your online application.
Photo Specifications
- File Size Limit: 20 KB to 300 KB
- Format: Strictly JPG or JPEG format.
- Pixel Resolution: Minimum 350x350 pixels, Maximum 1000x1000 pixels.
- Mandatory Stamp: The candidate’s name and the date on which the photograph was taken must be clearly inscribed at the bottom.
- Content Rules: 3/4th of the photograph must be covered by your face. No sunglasses or caps allowed.
2. The Signature Requirements
Your signature verifies your identity during the physical exams. Ensure you sign firmly with stark contrast so it translates well into a compressed digital image.
Signature Specifications
- File Size Limit: 20 KB to 300 KB
- Format: JPG or JPEG.
- Pixel Resolution: Exactly the same as the photo! Minimum 350x350 pixels, Maximum 1000x1000 pixels.
- Ink: Must be signed on unlined white paper in running handwriting (No block letters).
3. Scanned PDF Identity Card
You must provide scanned proof of a Photo ID (Aadhar Card, Voter Card, PAN Card, Passport, Driving Licence, or a School/College Photo ID).
- Format: PDF Only (this cannot be a JPG).
- File Size: 20 KB to 300 KB.
The Challenge of 350x350 Pixels
The most common reason NDA candidates fail their document upload is because their photo is rectangular, but the UPSC portal demands a perfectly square pixel ratio (e.g., 350w by 350h, or 500w by 500h). If you upload a standard vertical passport photo into their system, it will drastically stretch your face horizontally to force it into their square box.
To fix this, you must crop your photo securely into a 1:1 aspect ratio *before* compressing it under the 300KB limit.
How to Quickly Resize Documents Free
At Imgverto, we built tools specifically to bypass these stressful technical hurdles. All of our cropping and compression algorithms run securely on your local device—so your private IDs are never sent to a background server.