Rejected photos and signatures are the single biggest reason forms are thrown out. A fee that shows "pending" is the second. Both are avoidable with ten minutes of preparation.
Before you open the form
- Read the notification’s "How to apply" and "Documents" sections completely. Note the photo size (usually 20–50 KB JPG, 3.5 × 4.5 cm), signature size (10–20 KB), and the fee.
- Keep scanned copies ready: photo (recent, plain background, no cap or glasses unless medical), signature in black ink on white paper, 10th certificate (for date of birth), highest qualification, category certificate, PwBD certificate if any.
- Use one email and one mobile number for all government forms and keep them active for two years. OTPs and admit cards go there.
SSC and the One-Time Registration (OTR)
- SSC now uses Aadhaar-based OTR. Name, date of birth and gender are taken from Aadhaar; make sure they match your certificates before you register.
- Once submitted, some OTR fields cannot be edited. Fill slowly and check twice.
- Live photo capture is mandatory for some exams: sit in good light, face the camera, no filters.
Filling the form
- Type names exactly as they appear on your 10th certificate, including spacing and spelling.
- Choose exam centres you can reach on the day. In 2025 many SSC candidates were allotted centres hundreds of kilometres away after picking too few preferences.
- Post preferences: fill all of them, in a considered order. Blank preferences are treated as "not interested".
- Upload the photo and signature in the exact dimensions. Use our Photo Editor tool if the file is the wrong size.
Paying the fee
- Pay at least two days before the deadline. Payment servers slow down in the last hours.
- If money is debited but the status shows pending, wait 24–48 hours before paying again; most gateways auto-update. Keep the transaction ID.
- Women and SC/ST/PwBD/ESM candidates are fee-exempt in most central exams; do not pay if the form says NIL.
After submission
- Download the final form PDF and the payment receipt. Save them with the exam name and year.
- Check the correction window dates in the notification. Many exams allow one paid correction.
- Set a reminder for the admit card release, usually 7–10 days before the exam.