SSC Stenographer 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus & Free Mocks

SSC Stenographer is a national-level recruitment examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission to fill Stenographer Grade C and Grade D posts in central government ministries, departments and organisations. A stenographer takes dictation in shorthand and transcribes it accurately, supporting senior officers with correspondence, minutes and records.

The examination is unusual within the SSC family because the written paper is only a shortlisting stage — the decisive test is the shorthand skill test, where candidates take dictation at 80 or 100 words per minute and transcribe it within a strict time limit. Grade C is the higher post, placed in Pay Level 6, while Grade D sits in Pay Level 4.

SSC Stenographer is popular because it offers a Class 12 pass candidate a route to Pay Level 6 — the same level as a graduate-entry Junior Engineer or Station Master — on the strength of a shorthand skill rather than a degree.

Grade C is one of the highest pay levels reachable in central government service without a degree. For candidates willing to invest in learning shorthand, the return is substantially better than other 12th-pass routes such as SSC CHSL, which caps at Pay Level 4 or 5.

Competition is also structurally different. Because shorthand is a specialised skill that most aspirants never learn, the effective competition at the skill test stage is far smaller than the raw application numbers suggest — the barrier filters the field rather than the written cut-off.

• Pay Level 6 reachable on a Class 12 qualification (Grade C)
• Shorthand skill filters competition more than the written paper
• Postings alongside senior officers in central ministries
• No interview stage — selection is objective throughout

Expected schedule for the 2026 cycle, based on the Commission’s annual calendar.ssc.gov.in — Examination Calendar

The most recent SSC Stenographer cycle carried approximately Notified per cycle vacancies.

SSC Stenographer vacancies are aggregated across many ministries and departments and split between Grade C and Grade D, with Grade D typically carrying the larger share. The Commission publishes a tentative figure with the notification and revises it before the final result.

Vacancies are notified grade-wise in the official notification.ssc.gov.in — Official Notification

To apply for SSC Stenographer 2026 a candidate must have passed Class 12 (10+2) from a recognised board, and be aged 18 to 30 years for Grade C or 18 to 27 years for Grade D as on the cut-off date in the notification.

Educational Qualification

Passed 12th Standard or equivalent examination from a recognised Board or University.

• No formal shorthand certification is required to apply, but the skill test is mandatory and cannot be cleared without genuine shorthand ability.
• Candidates must possess the qualification as on the cut-off date stated in the notification.

Age Limit

The age limit for SSC Stenographer is 18 to 30 years. The upper age limit is 30 years for Stenographer Grade C and 27 years for Stenographer Grade D. Age is reckoned as on the cut-off date specified in the notification.

Nationality

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Vietnam or Ethiopia with the intention of permanently settling in India.

SSC Stenographer has a single computer-based test of 200 questions carrying 200 marks in 2 hours, weighted heavily towards English at 100 marks, followed by a decisive shorthand skill test at 80 or 100 words per minute.

1. 1Online application on the SSC portal, indicating grade and language preference for shorthand.
2. 2Computer Based Examination — determines the merit and shortlists for the skill test.
3. 3Shorthand Skill Test — qualifying dictation and transcription at 80 or 100 words per minute.
4. 4Document verification against the qualification and category claimed.
5. 5Final merit list based on the CBT score, subject to qualifying in the skill test.
6. 6Allocation of post, grade and department.

The SSC Stenographer syllabus covers three areas — English Language and Comprehension carrying 100 marks, General Intelligence and Reasoning carrying 50, and General Awareness carrying 50 — with no mathematics section at all.

Stenographer Grade C is a Pay Level 6 post with a basic pay of ₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400, while Stenographer Grade D is a Pay Level 4 post with a basic pay of ₹25,500 to ₹81,100, giving approximate in-hand salaries of ₹44,000 to ₹50,000 and ₹30,000 to ₹34,000 respectively.

Allowances and Benefits

• Dearness Allowance (DA) — revised twice a year
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) — 27%, 18% or 9% of basic pay by city class
• Transport Allowance (TA) — city-dependent, with DA on TA
• National Pension System (NPS) with government contribution
• Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) medical coverage

The decisive SSC Stenographer strategy is to begin shorthand practice immediately and treat it as the primary task, because the written paper only shortlists while the skill test eliminates the large majority of qualified candidates.