SSC Stenographer 2026 – Notification, Vacancy, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Salary

The SSC Stenographer 2026 notification was released by the Staff Selection Commission on 24 April 2026 at ssc.gov.in. It opens recruitment for Stenographer Grade C and Stenographer Grade D posts across ministries, departments and offices of the Government of India.

Online applications were accepted from 24 April to 15 May 2026 (11:00 pm); the window is now closed. As per the latest notice on the SSC website, the first-stage computer-based examination has been rescheduled and was held over seven days, 9 to 15 September 2026.

The official notification PDF, the revised exam schedule notice, the vacancy document and all updates are published under the For Candidates section of ssc.gov.in. Candidates who appeared in the CBT should track the same page for the exam-city intimation and admit card of the skill test.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 vacancy stands at a total of 1,170 posts split between the two grades. Grade D carries the majority of the posts while Grade C remains the senior grade.

The figures are as announced with the notification; any revision by SSC will be reflected on ssc.gov.in.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 eligibility criteria cover educational qualification, age limit and nationality. All conditions are reckoned against 01.08.2026.

Educational Qualification

The minimum qualification is 12th pass (Matriculation or equivalent) from a recognised Board or University. Original documents must be produced at the time of verification.

Age Limit

Grade C requires candidates to be 18 to 30 years of age (born 02.08.1996 to 01.08.2008), while Grade D requires 18 to 27 years (born 02.08.1999 to 01.08.2008). Category-wise upper relaxation applies as detailed in the Age Limit section above.

Nationality

Applicants must hold an Indian citizenship, or the citizenship of Nepal or Bhutan, or be a person of Indian origin who has relocated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka or the East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, Vietnam) for permanent settlement in India. Where a certificate of eligibility is necessary, the candidate may take the exam but the appointment is offered only after the Government of India issues the certificate.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 exam pattern follows a two-stage scheme: a computer-based written exam (Paper 1) followed by a qualifying skill test in stenography for the shortlisted candidates.

Key points: the paper is objective (MCQ) type. Questions are set in Hindi and English except in Part 3 (English). Sectional timings of 30, 30 and 60 minutes apply to Parts 1, 2 and 3 respectively. 0.25 mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

Minimum Qualifying Marks (CBT)

Skill Test (Stenography)

Candidates who clear the CBT qualifying marks are called for a qualifying skill test. One dictation of 10 minutes is given, at 100 w.p.m. for Grade C and 80 w.p.m. for Grade D, in English or Hindi. The matter is transcribed on a computer.

Candidates who opt for the Hindi test must learn English stenography after appointment, and vice versa, as working stenographers serve per the functional language of the user office. The skill test is held at SSC Regional / Sub-Regional offices or other centres decided by the Commission.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 syllabus covers the three sections of Paper 1: General Awareness, English Language and Comprehension, and General Intelligence & Reasoning. The important topics in each section are summarised below.

General Awareness

Sports, economy, current affairs, awards and honours, scientific research, history, important days and dates, and general static GK relevant to everyday observation.

English Language and Comprehension

Grammar, vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms, sentence structure, reading comprehension and para jumbles.

General Intelligence and Reasoning

Arithmetic computation, number series, visual memory, blood relations, syllogism, decision making and problem solving skills.

Candidates should practise SSC Stenographer previous-year papers to match the exact difficulty and weightage of the exam.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 selection process has two stages. Both must be cleared in order to make the final merit list.

The Commission may prescribe qualifying marks in each part of the examination and in the skill test for different categories before preparing the final list of candidates.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 recruits for Stenographer Grade C (Group B, Non-Gazetted) and Stenographer Grade D (Group C) posts. Stenographers provide shorthand and transcription support to officers and manage confidential and general correspondence in government offices.

Typical duties of a stenographer include:

• Taking dictation in shorthand and transcribing on a computer
• Drafting and typing official letters, minutes and notes
• Maintaining diaries, files and confidential records
• Handling phone calls and appointments
• Coordinating with other sections of the office

Selected candidates are paid under the 7th Pay Commission matrix. Grade C is placed in Pay Level-6 and Grade D in Pay Level-4.

Along with the basic pay, eligible employees draw Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance (9%/18%/27% of basic by city class), Travel Allowance and other admissible allowances. Approximate in-hand salary ranges around Rs. 44,000 – 52,000 for Grade C and Rs. 33,000 – 40,000 for Grade D; the exact amount depends on the posting location and department.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 CBT admit card was released on 7 September 2026 on ssc.gov.in, following the exam-city intimation issued on 31 August 2026. Admit cards are published region-wise; candidates download them using their registration number and password.

The skill test admit card will be issued separately to candidates shortlisted after the CBT. Candidates must carry the admit card and a valid photo identity to the exam centre.

No SSC Stenographer 2026 answer key has been announced for the CBT. SSC evaluates the responses directly and declares the result; candidates should rely on ssc.gov.in for any key, challenge window or result announcement.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 results are not yet declared. SSC declares the CBT result first to shortlist candidates for the skill test, followed by the final result prepared after the skill test. The final merit list is based on the CBT performance subject to the skill test being qualifying.

The SSC Stenographer 2026 cut off is To be announced for both grades. It will be released along with the CBT result and depends on vacancies, paper difficulty and candidate performance.

Previous Year Cut Off — reference only

Grade C

Grade D

Previous-year marks are indicative of the competition only; they are not a forecast for the 2026 cut-off.

SSC conducts the SSC Stenographer 2026 CBT in cities across the country grouped under the SSC regions. This year’s centre list was not published centrally in the notification; candidates received their allotted city in the exam city intimation of 31 August 2026, and the exact location is printed on the admit card released on 7 September 2026.

The skill test is held at the Commission’s Regional / Sub-Regional offices or other centres as decided, with detailed instructions sent to shortlisted candidates.