Checklist
Before you submit an online application: a checklist
Most problems at submission time are avoidable, and most of them are found in the last ten minutes. Work through this first.
Prepare the files before you open the form
Do this the day before if you can. Preparing files while a form times out around you is where mistakes happen.
Note down each requirement from the notification on paper: the size limit, the pixel dimensions if any, and the format, for the photograph and for the signature separately.
The photograph
- Taken recently, within whatever window the notification specifies.
- Plain light background, no door, no furniture, no other people.
- Face fills roughly 70 to 80 per cent of the frame; the top of the head is not cropped.
- Even lighting, no hard shadow across the face, no flash glare.
- Neutral expression, eyes open, nothing covering the face.
- Pixel dimensions match the requirement exactly.
- File size is under the ceiling with a margin, not sitting on the line.
- Format is what the portal asks for — usually JPEG.
The signature
- Handwritten, in the ink colour specified, usually black.
- On plain white paper, photographed straight on or scanned flat.
- Cropped tightly, with a small even border and no stroke touching the edge.
- Pixel dimensions match, if stated.
- File size comfortably under the ceiling, which for signatures is often only 10 KB.
The documents
- Marksheets, certificates and identity documents scanned legibly, not photographed at an angle.
- Merged in the order the portal asks for, if it specifies one.
- Each file within its own size limit — document limits are usually more generous than photo limits, but they do exist.
- Names spelled exactly as they appear on your identity document. A mismatch between the form and a certificate is one of the hardest things to correct later.
The form itself
- Check every date of birth, registration number and category selection once more against the source document.
- Check the contact details — email and mobile number are how corrections and admit cards reach you.
- Read the declaration before accepting it, particularly anything about attempts or eligibility.
- Note the application number or registration number as soon as it is issued, and screenshot the confirmation page.
Payment and submission
Pay well before the deadline. Payment gateways congest badly in the final hours, and a failed payment near the cutoff is a common and avoidable problem.
If a payment fails but money leaves your account, do not simply pay again immediately. Note the transaction reference and wait for the portal to reconcile, or you may pay twice.
After submitting, download and keep the confirmation page and the fee receipt. Screenshot them as well, in case the download fails later.
If the portal offers a correction window, note the dates. Almost every portal does, and it is the only opportunity to fix a genuine mistake.
Questions people ask
Should I prepare the files in advance?
Yes. Preparing a photograph and a signature takes longer than people expect, and doing it while a form session is running out of time is where most avoidable mistakes happen.
What if my name is spelled differently on different documents?
Use the spelling on the identity document the portal asks you to match, and check whether the portal offers a correction window. Do not silently pick one spelling without checking the requirement.
I paid but the form was not submitted. What now?
Note the transaction reference, then check whether the portal shows a pending or failed status before paying again. Most portals reconcile failed payments, and paying twice is a common and expensive mistake.
Should I keep the confirmation page?
Yes, and screenshot it as well as downloading it. It is the only straightforward evidence that you submitted, and you may need it if a correction window opens or a dispute arises.