The SSC Stenographer Examination

The SSC Stenographer Grade C and D Examination is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to fill stenographer posts in central government ministries, departments and offices. If you type and take shorthand at a good speed and have passed Class 12, this is one of the few central government exams built around your skill. This page covers the 2026 cycle: dates, vacancies, eligibility, pattern, syllabus, selection stages, pay and preparation.

The 2026 cycle began with the notification on 24 April 2026, and the computer-based exam was scheduled for 9 to 15 September 2026. Where a figure can still change, we say so and point you to the official source. Dates and numbers below are taken from the Commission's notice and later notices on ssc.gov.in.

Table of Contents

• SSC Stenographer 2026

• Notification overview

• Important dates

• Vacancy details

• Eligibility

• Application fee and how to apply

• Exam pattern

• Syllabus summary

• Selection process

• Salary and career growth

• How to prepare

• Cut-off reference

SSC Stenographer 2026

Notification overview

SSC published the Stenographer Grade C and D notice for 2026 on 24 April 2026. A few points from it shape how you should plan.

• Two posts, one exam: You can apply for Grade C, Grade D or both through a single application. Only one application per candidate is accepted.

• One common written paper: Both grades take the same computer-based exam. The difference lies in the skill test speed and the final post allocation.

• Preference-based allocation: Posts are allotted on CBE merit and the preferences you submit online. Preferences cannot be changed once submitted.

• New registration system: Old One-Time Registrations from the earlier SSC website do not work. You need an OTR on the current portal.

The exam schedule was announced by an important notice dated 12 August 2026 and later revised by a notice dated 31 August 2026, which moved the window to 9 to 15 September 2026. Older web pages may still show 9 to 12 September, so follow the official notices.

Important dates

Answer key and result dates are announced by notice after the exam. Reports point to a provisional answer key in the last week of September 2026, but the result and skill test schedule should be checked only on ssc.gov.in. Tentative dates come from the notification schedule and can change. Track the official notice board on the SSC website and your registered email.

Vacancy details

The April notice mentioned approximately 731 tentative vacancies and said the Commission was still collecting figures. Post-wise and category-wise numbers are published under the Tentative Vacancy section for candidates on the SSC website, and they have been updated since. Third-party pages quote different totals, so treat any number you read outside ssc.gov.in as indicative.

• No state-wise split: The Commission does not collect state-wise or zone-wise vacancies. Posts are spread across ministries and offices.

• Ex-servicemen posts: Reserved vacancies for ex-servicemen exist only in Grade D.

• BRO posts: BRO vacancies in Grade D are open to male candidates only.

Eligibility

Educational qualification

You must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board or university on or before 1 August 2026. Your result should be declared by that date. Stenography skill is a requirement, and the skill test later checks it.

Age limit

Age is counted as on 1 August 2026.

Age relaxation

Other relaxations exist for certain government employees and for widows, divorced or judicially separated women, and they apply only to specific posts.

Other conditions

Candidates must be Indian citizens, or belong to the categories the notice permits, subject to an eligibility certificate. Medical standards are checked by the user departments after the result.

Application fee and how to apply

Fees are non-refundable and cannot be moved to another exam. An application with unpaid fees is shown as incomplete and rejected. The application steps, in order:

1. Complete One-Time Registration on the SSC portal. Aadhaar authentication is recommended.

2. Log in and open the Stenographer Grade C and D application.

3. Choose Grade C, Grade D or both, and your language for the skill test.

4. Select three exam centres in priority order. These cannot be changed later.

5. Capture the live photograph and upload your signature as a JPEG of 10 to 20 KB.

6. Pay the fee if applicable, preview the form and submit.

Common reasons for rejection include unpaid fees, multiple applications, mismatched photo and ID details, and a wrong disability category, which cannot be changed later.

Exam pattern

Computer-based exam

Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. The paper is bilingual, and each part has its own time limit. Minimum qualifying marks are 30 percent for UR, 25 percent for OBC and EWS, and 20 percent for all other categories.

Stenography skill test

The skill test is mandatory and qualifying. You take one dictation of 10 minutes in English or Hindi, as chosen in your application, then transcribe it on a computer. Grade C dictation is at 100 words per minute and Grade D at 80 words per minute.

What this means for you:

• English decides the written exam: Half of the 200 marks come from the English part, and English marks are also the first tie-breaker.

• Mind the sectional clock: Reasoning and General Awareness get 30 minutes each, so you cannot borrow time between parts.

• Skill is not marks: The skill test only qualifies you. Final merit depends on the written exam, so shorthand alone will not carry you.

Syllabus summary

SSC gives an indicative description of each subject rather than a topic-wise list. The table below summarises it.

Selection process

1. Computer-based exam: You must reach the category-wise minimum marks.

2. Skill test: A qualifying stenography test for shortlisted candidates.

3. Allocation of posts: Done on CBE merit and the preferences you submit online.

4. Document verification and medical checks: Conducted by the user departments.

If marks tie, the order is English marks, then General Awareness marks, then older date of birth, then alphabetical order of names. Selected candidates are placed on a two-year probation and can be posted anywhere in India.

Salary and career growth

The Commission's vacancy list places Grade D at Pay Level 4 and Grade C at Pay Levels 6 and 7. These are the basic pay ranges in the 7th Pay Commission matrix.

This is not an in-hand figure. Allowances such as DA and HRA depend on your city and department. Over time, stenographers move up the ladder in their cadre, including to private secretary and personal assistant roles, subject to department rules.

How to prepare

Preparation has two tracks that run together: the written exam and the skill.

• Build English first: Spend the largest share of study time on grammar, vocabulary and comprehension, since it carries half the marks.

• Practise dictation daily: Even 30 to 45 minutes of shorthand and typing every day matters more than long weekend sessions.

• Keep reasoning timed: Do short sets with a clock running so that 50 questions in 30 minutes feels routine.

• Read current affairs steadily: A monthly revision note works better than a last-month rush.

Once your basics are in place, timed practice shows where marks are lost. You can attempt SSC Stenographer online tests on Testkart for section-wise analysis, and pair them with previous year papers to understand the real difficulty level.

Cut-off reference

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass. use the Staff Selection Commission website.