Everything you should know before preparing or applying for the SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026. This page summarizes important information from the official SSC Stenographer 2026 notification in a simple and structured format.
Important details about SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination at a glance.
Staff Selection Commission
12th Standard / Equivalent
Grade C: 18–30 Years
Grade D: 18–27 Years
CBE
Skill Test
Computer Based Examination
Stenography Skill
Approx. 731
All India Service Liability
General information regarding SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026.
| Full Name | Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Tentative Vacancies | Approximately 731 |
| Qualification | 12th Standard or equivalent from a recognized Board or University |
| Age Limit |
Grade ‘C’: 18–30 Years
Grade ‘D’: 18–27 Years |
| Application Dates | 24-04-2026 to 15-05-2026 |
| Computer Based Examination | July–August 2026 |
| Selection Process | Computer Based Examination + Stenography Skill Test + FRTA / Final Selection + Document Verification |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in the Computer Based Examination |
| Official Website | https://ssc.gov.in |
The examination is conducted for direct recruitment to Stenographer Grade ‘C’ and Grade ‘D’ posts in Government of India Ministries, Departments and Organizations.
Group ‘B’, Non-Gazetted post in various Ministries, Departments, Organizations, Attached offices, Subordinate offices and Statutory bodies of the Government of India.
Group ‘C’ post in various Ministries, Departments, Organizations, Attached offices, Subordinate offices and Statutory bodies of the Government of India.
The 2026 examination notice classifies the two posts as follows.
| Post | Group | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Stenographer Grade ‘C’ | Group ‘B’ | Non-Gazetted |
| Stenographer Grade ‘D’ | Group ‘C’ | Government Post |
The posts are stenography-based positions in various Government of India Ministries, Departments and Organizations.
12th Standard or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University on or before 01.08.2026.
Candidates must satisfy the nationality / citizenship requirements prescribed by SSC.
Grade ‘C’: 18–30 years.
Grade ‘D’: 18–27 years.
Only candidates who have skills in stenography are eligible to apply.
Candidates must have passed 12th standard or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University as on or before the cut-off date, i.e. 01.08.2026.
Candidates must be able to produce the relevant certificate / marksheet / provisional certificate as proof of the required educational qualification during Document Verification when called by the concerned User Department / Organization.
Candidates possessing equivalent educational qualifications may be required to produce the relevant Equivalence Certificate from the concerned authorities.
Stenographer Grade ‘C’: 18 to 30 years as on 01.08.2026.
Stenographer Grade ‘D’: 18 to 27 years as on 01.08.2026.
The crucial date for age reckoning is 01.08.2026.
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 Years |
| OBC | 3 Years |
| PwBD (Unreserved / EWS) | 10 Years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 Years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen (ESM) | 3 Years after deduction of military service rendered from actual age |
| Defence Personnel disabled in operation during hostilities | 3 Years |
| Defence Personnel disabled in operation during hostilities (SC / ST) | 8 Years |
| Central Government Civilian Employees — Group ‘C’ posts | Up to 40 Years of age |
| Central Government Civilian Employees (SC / ST) — Group ‘C’ posts | Up to 45 Years of age |
| Widows / Divorced Women / Women judicially separated and not remarried — Group ‘C’ posts | Up to 35 Years of age |
| Same category (SC / ST) — Group ‘C’ posts | Up to 40 Years of age |
Application fee details according to the SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026 notification.
BHIM UPI
Net Banking
Debit Card
Reservation is provided for eligible categories according to the applicable Government rules and vacancies reported by the User Departments.
Important: Vacancies for Ex-Servicemen are reserved only for the Group ‘C’ post, i.e. Stenographer Grade ‘D’.
The selection process is based on performance in the Computer Based Examination, qualifying Skill Test and subsequent allocation / verification procedures.
General Intelligence & Reasoning
50 Questions – 50 Marks
Sectional Timer: 30 Minutes
General Awareness
50 Questions – 50 Marks
Sectional Timer: 30 Minutes
English Language & Comprehension
100 Questions – 100 Marks
Sectional Timer: 60 Minutes
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Intelligence & Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 30 Minutes |
| II | General Awareness | 50 | 50 | 30 Minutes |
| III | English Language & Comprehension | 100 | 100 | 60 Minutes |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours | |
Question Type: Objective Type Multiple Choice Questions
Question Paper: Questions are set in English and Hindi, except the English Language & Comprehension component.
Normal Duration: 2 Hours
Eligible Scribe Candidates: 2 Hours 40 Minutes
Sectional Timing: 30 minutes for Part I, 30 minutes for Part II and 60 minutes for Part III.
Computer Based Examination: 0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.
Candidates should keep the negative marking in mind while attempting the paper.
Minimum qualifying percentages prescribed for the Computer Based Examination.
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| UR | 30% |
| OBC / EWS | 25% |
| All Other Categories | 20% |
The Skill Test is mandatory but qualifying in nature for candidates shortlisted from the Computer Based Examination.
Dictation:
10 Minutes at 100 words per minute
The dictated matter has to be transcribed on computer.
Dictation:
10 Minutes at 80 words per minute
The dictated matter has to be transcribed on computer.
| Post | Skill Test Language | Transcription Time | Scribe Eligible Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stenographer Grade ‘D’ | English | 50 Minutes | 70 Minutes |
| Stenographer Grade ‘D’ | Hindi | 65 Minutes | 90 Minutes |
| Stenographer Grade ‘C’ | English | 40 Minutes | 55 Minutes |
| Stenographer Grade ‘C’ | Hindi | 55 Minutes | 75 Minutes |
Candidates may opt for the Skill Test in English or Hindi in the online application form.
Candidates who opt for Hindi Stenography will be required to learn English Stenography after appointment and vice versa, according to the functional requirement of the User Office.
Language options relevant to the examination and Stenography Skill Test.
The Computer Based Examination consists of General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness and English Language & Comprehension.
Verbal and non-verbal reasoning, analogies, similarities and differences, space visualization, problem solving, analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, classification, series and arithmetical reasoning.
Current events, everyday observation, Sports, History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Polity including Indian Constitution and Scientific Research.
Vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, correct usage and writing ability.
Reservation is available for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) according to the applicable Government rules and the suitability of the posts identified in the notification.
Eligible candidates may receive scribe / assistive technology and compensatory time according to the provisions of the notification and the candidate's applicable disability category.
Candidates seeking reservation, age relaxation or other PwBD benefits must furnish the prescribed certificate from the competent authority when required.
Important dates mentioned in the SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026 notice.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Starts | 24-04-2026 |
| Last Date for Online Application | 15-05-2026, 23:00 hrs |
| Last Date for Online Fee Payment | 16-05-2026, 23:00 hrs |
| Application Correction Window | 20-05-2026 to 21-05-2026, 23:00 hrs |
| Computer Based Examination | July–August 2026 |
Candidates must have passed 12th Standard or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University on or before 01.08.2026.
For Grade ‘C’, the age limit is 18–30 years. For Grade ‘D’, the age limit is 18–27 years as on 01.08.2026.
Yes. The notification states that only candidates who have skills in stenography are eligible to apply.
The Computer Based Examination carries 200 questions and 200 marks: 50 Reasoning, 50 General Awareness and 100 English Language & Comprehension.
Yes. 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer in the Computer Based Examination.
Yes. The Skill Test is mandatory but qualifying in nature. Final selection is based on merit in the Computer Based Examination among candidates who qualify the Skill Test.
The application fee is ₹100. Women candidates and eligible SC, ST, PwBD and ESM candidates are exempted from payment of the fee.
The notification mentions approximately 731 tentative vacancies. Updated post-wise and category-wise vacancies will be made available by SSC later.
The information provided on this page has been prepared for educational purposes based on the official SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Examination, 2026 Notification issued by the Staff Selection Commission. Candidates are advised to verify all details through the latest official SSC notification before applying or making any decision.