NSDL vs UTI: Which PAN Card Photo Size Do You Actually Need?

If you've seen two different sets of numbers while researching "PAN card photo size," you're not imagining it — there genuinely are two specs, because there are two separate organisations authorised to process PAN applications.

First, figure out which portal you're on

PAN cards are processed by either NSDL, now operating as Protean eGov Technologies, or UTIITSL (UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited). Check the URL or header of the form you're filling out — they are not interchangeable, and a photo sized for one will usually fail the other's upload check.

NSDL / Protean spec

Photo: 3.5cm × 2.5cm, roughly 197×276 pixels at 200 DPI. Signature: 4.5cm × 2cm, roughly 354×157 pixels. Both under about 50KB, JPEG only.

UTIITSL spec

Photo: a square 213×213 pixels at 300 DPI, under about 30KB. Signature: 400×200 pixels at 600 DPI. UTI is a little more flexible on format, but JPEG is still the safer default.

A quick way to check

If your form mentions 3.5cm by 2.5cm, or the numbers 197 and 276, you're likely on NSDL. If it asks for a clean 213-pixel square, you're on UTI. When in doubt, check whether the application URL or acknowledgment mentions "protean" or "nsdl" versus "utiitsl."

Once you know which one applies, use the NSDL resizer or UTI resizer directly, or the toggle on the homepage tool.