SSC Stenographer 2026 Online Form (Grade C & D)

SSC Stenographer (Grade C & D) 2026 — applications are closed. SSC released the notification on 24 April 2026, and the form closed on 15 May 2026. The vacancy was revised from 731 to about 1,170 (Grade C: 149, Grade D: 1,021 — tentative). The CBT is expected around July–August 2026; the admit card has not been announced yet. Check ssc.gov.in for the official notice.

SSC Stenographer 2026 — Key Details

SSC Stenographer 2026 Eligibility & Fee

Eligibility: 12th / 10+2 pass from a recognised board (any stream). Age: 18–30 years for Grade C and 18–27 years for Grade D, as on 1 August 2026 (with standard category relaxations). No attempt limit.

Selection Process & Exam Pattern

Selection is a Computer Based Test (CBT) → Stenography Skill Test → Document Verification, with final merit on the CBT (the skill test is qualifying). The CBT has 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours with 0.25 negative marking:

What is the stenography skill test speed?

After the CBT, shortlisted candidates take a stenography skill (shorthand) test: 100 words per minute for Grade C and 80 wpm for Grade D — a 10-minute dictation transcribed in English or Hindi. The test is qualifying only (not added to merit), but it is the real bottleneck: many clear the CBT and fail the speed test. Allowed transcription error percentage is lower for UR/EWS than reserved categories.

Grade C vs Grade D — which is better?

Grade C is Pay Level-6 (basic ₹35,400), needs 100 wpm, and has fewer posts (149), mostly in the Central Secretariat and attached offices. Grade D is Pay Level-4 (basic ₹25,500), needs 80 wpm, and has far more posts (~1,021) — so a much higher selection chance. Many candidates target Grade D first for the better odds.

Practical Tips

• The skill test is the filter — practise dictation at your target speed (100/80 wpm) with the category-appropriate error tolerance.
• No shorthand certificate is needed to apply — but you must demonstrate the speed at the skill stage, so build it independently.
• Negative marking (0.25): with 200 questions and English carrying 100 marks, blind guessing hurts — weight English prep.
• Women + reserved categories pay no fee — only General/OBC males pay ₹100.

SSC aspirants can also see our SSC CGL 2026 Online Form and SSC CGL Final Result pages.

Disclaimer: Compiled from SSC notices and reputable reports (last verified 5 June 2026). The vacancy split (~1,170) is the latest tentative figure — confirm against the official SSC notification PDF on ssc.gov.in.