CAT 2025 Documents Upload Guidelines: Check Photo Size, Dimension and Format

The CAT 2025 is expected to be held on November 30, 2025, by IIM Kozhikode, and registration will start in the first week of August 2025.

If a candidate wants to register for CAT 2025, they should upload a recent passport-size photograph and signature that will follow the size and format guidelines by IIM Kozhikode.

• The Photograph and Signature uploaded should be in .jpg or .jpeg format and should not be more than 80kb in file size.
• The Dimensions of a scanned passport-size photograph should be approximately 1200 x 1200 pixels, and the signature should be 80mm x 35mm.
• The photograph uploaded should be in colour and taken against a white or light-coloured background, and should not be older than 6 months, showing the candidate’s latest appearance.
• The Black and white photographs, selfies and blurred photos are not allowed; the face should be facing the front, with open eyes and visible with no red eyes or shadows.

Apart from a photograph and signature, candidates should also upload the required documents such as the category certificate, PwD certificate and final year marksheet and certificates.

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CAT 2025 Documents Upload Guidelines

In the CAT Document upload process, candidates have to upload the required CAT Documents to support their eligibility criteria. Including the verification of identity, academic record and reservation certificates, and should follow the strict format, size and CAT Document Upload Guidelines.

CAT 2025 Document Upload Specifications

• As more than 40% of the candidates come under the reserved categories, they should upload the category certificates to claim the benefits during the shortlisting and counselling.
• The common reasons for rejections include blurry images, incorrect format, and expired certificates, mostly in the OBC-NCL, where the certificate should be issued after 1st April 2025.
• Scanning apps like Adobe Scan or CamScanner are used more by the candidates to compress and format the documents properly.
• The Final correction window for the photo/signature/documents and re-uploading with be opened to avoid the last-minute disqualifications.

CAT 2025 Photo Specifications

Uploading the correct photograph is an important step in the CAT Application process. The IIMs will have specific technical and quality-related requirements to ensure a proper identification of the candidate.

If a candidate does not adhere to these proper identifications, it can lead to rejection of the application.

CAT 2025 Photo Upload Specifications

• Use a recent photo, which should be taken after January 2025, to avoid any discrepancies.
• Proper lighting should be there in the photos without any shadow on the face or in the background.
• Don’t scan the printed photos, use a digital camera or phone with good resolution.
• Should have a backup of the images in the same format for future reference.

Do’s and Don’ts for Uploading CAT 2025 Photograph

Uploading the correct photograph is important for successful CAT Registration. The IIMs will reject the application with blurry, old or photos in an incorrect format of photos.

To ensure that the registration is not disqualified, candidates should follow the Dos and Don’ts for uploading CAT documents.

CAT 2025 Documents Upload: Dos vs Don’ts

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CAT 2025 Signature Specifications

Along with the photograph, candidates should also upload a correct signature, which is necessary for registration in CAT 2025.

Incorrect signature or upload, such as the capital letters, blurred images or incorrect dimensions, which can lead to rejection of the application.

CAT 2025 Signature Upload Specifications

• The candidate should use a black ball pen to sign on a white sheet of paper.
• The Signature should be scanned using a document scanner or scanner app; the photograph should not be taken directly from the camera.
• Candidates should avoid styled or digital fonts; only handwritten signatures are accepted.
• The signature should be the same during future processes like the PI Round, admission and document verification.

How to Upload Photograph and Signature for CAT 2025?

In the CAT 2025 Application process, candidates should upload a recent passport-size photograph and a scanned signature according to the specifications prescribed.

If the signature is uploaded in an incorrect way, it can lead to the rejection of the form.

Steps to upload the photograph and signature in CAT 2025:

• Candidates should visit the official website iimcat.ac.in and log in with the user's credentials.
• Should visit the section of “Application form”.
• In the tab of “Personal Details”, candidates should locate the uploaded fields for the photograph and signature.
• Click on “Choose file” and select their photo & signature files in JPG/JPEG format, which should be less than 80 KB.
• Check the uploaded files once for clarity, orientation and compliance with the size.
• Click on the “Save & Continue” to move forward with the next steps.

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Scanning Guidelines for CAT 2025 Photo & Signature Upload

To upload their photograph and signature in the CAT 2025 Application form, it is important to scan and save the documents in a correct format. The Blurry and oversized files can automatically reject the candidates.

Scanning CAT Documents Upload Guidelines

Common Application Rejections in CAT Due to Upload Errors (2024)

Every year, some CAT Applications are rejected or their registration is put on hold because of the incorrect upload of a photograph or a signature.

In CAT 2024, around 4-5% of candidates face issues related to the CAT document upload, which can lead to disqualification or delay in the release of the Admit card.

CAT Document Upload Errors in CAT 2024

• Over 12,000+ candidates were affected by upload issues in CAT 2024 out of ~2.5 lakh applicants.
• Around 40% of these issues came from poor-quality or improperly sized selfies and cropped signatures.
• The most preventable error was uploading the wrong file format (e.g., PDF), which the system cannot process.
• IIMs do not provide a correction window for image re-upload, making first-time accuracy critical.

Applications Rejections due to CAT Document Upload issues (2024–2021)

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Other Documents Required for Registration in CAT 2025

As the photograph and signature are necessary documents to be uploaded by the Candidates, CAT 2025 also requires the supporting documents for candidates who are applying under the reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS).

The CAT Documents should be uploaded in the specific format for eligibility.

List of Other Documents Required for CAT 2025

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