TNPSC OTR Document Size Requirements 2026 — Complete Checklist

The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) mandates that all candidates register through the One Time Registration (OTR) system before submitting applications for major competitive exams including Group 1, Group 2/2A, Group 4, and Village Administrative Officer (VAO).

During the OTR creation and renewal process, thousands of candidates face rejection or submission errors due to strict compliance standards regarding photo dimensions, signature file size, and certificate formats. An error as small as 1 KB over the threshold can prevent application submission before critical registration deadlines.

This guide provides the definitive 2026 checklist of all TNPSC OTR document requirements, exact pixel dimensions, and step-by-step instructions to prepare your files.

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Quick Reference Summary Table

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1. Photograph Specifications for TNPSC OTR

TNPSC enforces strict automated facial scanning rules for uploaded photographs:

• File Size: Must be strictly between 20 KB and 50 KB. Files under 20 KB or exceeding 50 KB are rejected by the portal's upload script.
• Dimensions: 3.5 cm width × 4.5 cm height (approximately 276 × 354 pixels at 200 DPI).
• Background: Crisp, plain white or very light background. Dark or patterned backgrounds trigger automatic rejection.
• Name & Date of Photo (DOP): The candidate's name in capital letters and the date on which the photograph was taken must be clearly printed at the bottom of the photo. The photo must have been taken within 3 months of the notification date.
• Appearance: Looking straight into the camera with natural expression, both ears visible, no dark spectacles, sunglasses, caps, or side profiles.

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2. Signature Specifications

• File Size: Strictly between 10 KB and 20 KB.
• Dimensions: 3.5 cm width × 1.5 cm height (approximately 276 × 118 pixels at 200 DPI).
• Ink & Paper: Must be signed using a black or blue ballpoint pen on clean white paper. Avoid gel pens that smudge or bleed through paper.
• Orientation: Ensure the signature is horizontal and not rotated. Capital letter initials with full signature as used consistently on academic certificates.

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3. Educational & Revenue Certificates (PDF Format)

All supporting certificates (SSLC marksheet, Degree certificates, Community Certificate, Differently Abled certificate, and PSTM certificate) must be uploaded as PDF documents:

• File Size Range: Strictly between 100 KB and 200 KB per certificate.
• Clarity & Legibility: Text, certificate numbers, and issuing officer signatures must remain sharp and readable even after compression.
• Orientation: Vertical portrait orientation. Upside-down or sideways pages can result in application disqualification during document verification.

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Top 5 Reasons for TNPSC OTR Application Rejections

1. Missing Name and Date on Photo: Uploading a plain passport photo without the bottom text box bearing the candidate's name and photograph date.
2. Blurred or Oversized Signature: Uploading signatures above 20 KB or signatures scanned at low resolution where strokes are illegible.
3. Invalid Certificate File Sizes: Attempting to upload 500 KB or 1 MB scanned PDFs where the server only accepts 100-200 KB.
4. Expired or Tampered Digital Signatures: Uploading community certificates where the digital signature block was corrupted during third-party file compression.
5. Wrong PSTM Certificate Format: Submitting non-prescribed format letters instead of the official Tamil Medium certificate issued by the Head of Institution.

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How Kagazo Free Tools Solve TNPSC OTR Requirements

Kagazo offers specialized, privacy-first browser tools engineered specifically for Indian government exam candidates:

• TNPSC Photo & Signature Resizer: Instantly crops, resizes, adds candidate name and date stamp, and locks file sizes to exactly 20-50 KB and 10-20 KB.
• Govt Exam PDF Compressor: Compresses community and educational marksheets to the exact 100-200 KB target without degrading text sharpness or invalidating digital signatures.
• PSTM Certificate Generator: Generates compliant bilingual PSTM certificate formats ready for school/college institutional sign-off.