CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 photo and signature checklist

Latest update

NTA has invited online applications for Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026.

The last date without late fee is 5 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM.

Apply only on the official portal, csirnet.nta.nic.in.

Check the file sizes below. Keep the scanned photograph and the signature ready before you open the form.

Prepare the scanned photograph Prepare the signature

Key dates

The public notice of 7 October 2026 and the Information Bulletin give the same dates.

The Information Bulletin says these dates are tentative. A later notice on the portal will apply.

The examination fee in the Information Bulletin is ₹1,150 for General, ₹600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL, and ₹325 for SC, ST, PwD, PwBD and Third Gender.

The late fee of ₹500 is extra. The bank or payment gateway may add its own charges. The candidate pays those charges.

Centre, date and shift will be as indicated on the admit card.

After successful fee payment, download and save the Confirmation Page.

Photo, signature and document sizes

Use only the sizes in Information Bulletin Step 2.

Source: Information Bulletin, Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026, and csirnet.nta.nic.in.

How to prepare your photograph

The Information Bulletin asks for a recent passport-size photograph. It must be your own photograph.

What the photograph should show

• In colour.
• Clearly legible.
• About 80% of the face should be visible, including both ears.
• Do not wear a mask.
• Use a white background.

File format and size

Save the scanned photograph as JPG.

The file must be between 10 KB and 200 KB.

KB is the weight of the file. It is not the width in pixels.

A file under 10 KB is too small. A file over 200 KB is too large.

Centimetre crop on the resizer

The free resizer starts with a 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm crop for the photograph, and a 3.5 cm × 1.5 cm crop for the signature.

That centimetre crop is starting help only. It is not an NTA rule.

How to prepare your signature

The signature must be your own.

The Information Bulletin says the file should be JPG, clearly legible, between 10 KB and 50 KB.

A very thin signature can fall under 10 KB. Sign again so the stroke is darker and easier to read. Then save the file again.

Live photograph

The live photograph is captured inside the NTA form only.

Switch on the camera, or connect a webcam, on the device you use to fill the form.

If the device has no webcam, scan the QR code on the form with a mobile phone or a tablet.

Use a light-coloured background and proper lighting.

About 80% of the face should be visible, including both ears. Do not wear a mask.

The resizer cannot capture the live photograph. Prepare the scanned file here. Take the live photograph on the portal.

PwD and other documents

Upload a certificate only if it applies to you.

Disability or UDID certificate

If you are applying as PwD or PwBD, upload the Disability or UDID certificate as a PDF, 50 to 300 KB, clearly legible.

The Information Bulletin says the UDID card is checked on the UDID portal. If you do not have a UDID card, upload the disability certificate in the proper format.

If that check does not match, correct it in the correction window. After the window closes, the bulletin says a claim that is not verified will not be taken up.

Other files, if the form asks

• Result awaited attestation form: PDF, 50 to 300 KB.
• Category certificate: PDF, 50 to 300 KB.
• Identity proof, only if you are not using Aadhaar or DigiLocker: JPG, 10 to 200 KB.

If a PDF is above 300 KB, open Compress PDF and type 300.

That tool does not check the 50 KB minimum. If the file is already 50 to 300 KB, upload it as it is. Every page should stay readable.

How to apply

The form is online only, on csirnet.nta.nic.in.

Use your own email id and mobile number. NTA sends messages there.

The Information Bulletin says one application is enough. If more than one form is submitted for the same subject, only the first is considered.

1. Open csirnet.nta.nic.in.
2. Download the Information Bulletin and read the eligibility and document lines.
3. Register online with your own email id and mobile number.
4. Create a password and note the Application Number.
5. Log in with that Application Number and password.
6. Fill your personal details, the programme, the examination cities and your education.
7. Capture the live photograph inside the form.
8. Upload the scanned photograph in JPG, 10 to 200 KB.
9. Upload the signature in JPG, 10 to 50 KB.
10. Upload a certificate only if it applies to you.
11. Pay the examination fee by net banking, debit card, credit card or UPI.
12. Download and save the Confirmation Page. Print a copy for your record.

You can do the steps together, or at different times. The form is complete only after the fee is received.

The Confirmation Page can be downloaded only after that payment.

Do not send the Confirmation Page to NTA by post, fax, WhatsApp, email or by hand.

Use the free resizer

Open the CSIR preset. It sets the KB size from Step 2 of the Information Bulletin.

Open the CSIR photograph preset Open the CSIR signature preset

The link is www.gauritanaya.com/exam-photo-resizer/?preset=csir.

What the KB target means

Aim for is the file size you want, in KB.

For the photograph, keep the file between 10 KB and 200 KB. A little under 200 KB is safer.

For the signature, keep the file between 10 KB and 50 KB. A little under 50 KB is safer.

Stay inside the band. Do not stop under the minimum, and do not cross the maximum.

If the file is still too small

Move Aim for to the right and download again.

If the picture is still under the minimum, the resizer may add blank data so the file looks heavier. Some portals remove that extra data. The file can then fall under the minimum again.

Make a clearer scan first. Then download again.

The work stays on your device. This page does not upload the file to NTA.

Important tips

• Candidates are advised to apply early.
• If the application form shows a different file limit, follow the form.
• Read the Information Bulletin before you pay the fee.
• Note the Application Number. You need it to log in again.
• Upload your own photograph, signature and certificates.
• UGC NET December 2026 is a different examination. The last date is different.
• This page does not submit the form. It does not charge a fee.

Official sources

• NTA public notice, 7 October 2026
• Information Bulletin, Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026
• Apply notice on the CSIR portal
• CSIR-UGC NET portal

Other exams are listed on Exam photo and signature size. The resizer stays at /exam-photo-resizer/.