What is the difference between Grade C and Grade D?

Grade C is Group B (Non-Gazetted), Pay Level 6. Grade D is Group C, Pay Level 4. Grade C requires 100 WPM shorthand, Grade D requires 80 WPM.

What is the SSC Stenographer salary?

Grade C: ₹35,400-₹1,12,400 (Pay Level 6). Grade D: ₹25,500-₹81,100 (Pay Level 4).

Higher Secondary11 Mock Tests

SSC Stenographer 2026

Stenographer Grade 'C' and Grade 'D' Examination, 2026

SSC Stenographer exam recruits for Grade C and Grade D posts in central government ministries. Requires shorthand skill test after CBT.

Official Website

Vacancies

731

Age Limit

18-30 years for Grade C, 18-27 years for Grade D (relaxation: SC/ST +5, OBC +3)

Fee

₹100

Salary Range

₹25,500 - ₹1,12,400

Next Exam Date

14 Jul 2026

Online Registration Closes (23:00 hrs) in

06days

00hrs

04min

Pay Level

Grade C: Pay Level 6, Grade D: Pay Level 4

Salary Range (Monthly)

₹25,500 - ₹1,12,400

Key Posts

Stenographer Grade C (Group B, Non-Gazetted), Stenographer Grade D (Group C)

National-level recruitment examination for Stenographer Grade C and Grade D posts under Government of IndiaGroup B (Grade C) & Group C (Grade D)All India Service Liability (AISL)

Pay Levels & Salary

Pay Level	Monthly Range
Pay Level-4 (Grade D)	₹₹25,500 - ₹₹81,100
Pay Level-6 (Grade C)	₹₹35,400 - ₹₹1,12,400

Application Fee

₹100

General/OBC

Free

SC/ST/Women

Free

PwBD/ESM

Tie-Breaking Rules

Total marks in English Language and Comprehension
Older candidate placed higher
Alphabetical order of names

Start Free Mock Test

Eligibility

Educational Qualification

12th pass (Higher Secondary) from a recognized board.

Age Limit

18-30 years for Grade C, 18-27 years for Grade D (relaxation: SC/ST +5, OBC +3)

Age Relaxation by Category

Category	Relaxation
General	No relaxation
SC/ST	+5 years
OBC (NCL)	+3 years
PwD	+10 years
Ex-Servicemen	+5 years

Application Fee

Category	Fee
General / OBC / EWS (Male)	₹100
SC / ST / PwD / Ex-Servicemen	Free

Exam Pattern

Computer Based Examination (CBE)

200 Questions120 minsTotal Marks: 200-0.25 per wrong

Section	Questions	Max Marks	Duration
General Intelligence and Reasoning	50	50	30 min
General Awareness	50	50	30 min
English Language and Comprehension	100	100	60 min

Syllabus

Analogies
Classification
Series
Coding-Decoding
Direction
Venn Diagrams
Syllogisms
Matrix
General
Number Series
Letter/Alphabet Series
Analogy
Classification / Odd One Out
Blood Relations
Direction Sense
Syllogism
Seating Arrangement & Puzzles
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Statement & Conclusion
Calendar & Clock

Posts & Pay Levels

Vacancies

731

Tentative Total

Final vacancies announced later

Nationality & Citizenship

✓Citizen of India
✓Subject of Nepal
✓Subject of Bhutan
✓Person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with intention of permanently settling in India

Certificate of Eligibility Required For

• Subject of Nepal
• Subject of Bhutan
• Person of Indian origin from listed countries

Educational Qualification

All Posts (General)

Candidates must have passed 12th Standard or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University on or before 01.08.2026.

Must possess qualification by: 2026-08-01

⚠ Result of requisite qualification must have been declared by the Board on or before the cut-off date; mere processing of the result does not fulfill the EQ requirement.

Age Limits & Relaxation

Age cutoff date: 2026-08-01

Age Bands

Age Band	DOB Not Earlier Than	DOB Not Later Than
18-27 years (Grade D)	1999-08-02	2008-08-01
18-30 years (Grade C)	1996-08-02	2008-08-01

Age Relaxation by Category

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	3 years after deduction of military service rendered from actual age as on 01.08.2026
Defence Personnel disabled in operation during hostilities / disturbed area	3 years
Defence Personnel disabled in operation during hostilities / disturbed area (SC/ST)	8 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees with 3 years regular continuous service (Group C only)	Up to 40 years of age
Central Govt. Civilian Employees SC/ST with 3 years regular continuous service (Group C only)	Up to 45 years of age
Widows/Divorced Women/Women judicially separated and not remarried	Up to 35 years of age
Widows/Divorced Women/Women judicially separated and not remarried (SC/ST)	Up to 40 years of age

Date of birth filled in online application and recorded in Matriculation/Secondary Examination Certificate will be accepted; no later change allowed.

Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Rules

Sons/Daughters/DependentsNot eligible

Non-Graduate ESM for Group BNot eligible

Category Certificate Rules

Crucial DateClosing date for receipt of online applications (15-05-2026)

EWS CertificateIncome & Asset certificate valid for FY 2026-27 issued on the basis of income for FY 2025-26 (per DoP&T OM No. 36039/1/2019-Estt(Res.) dated 31.01.2019)

OBC Creamy LayerOBC candidate must not fall in creamy layer on closing date of application

OBC Certificate DateSSC will not insist on OBC certificate issued within crucial/cut-off date; claim remains provisional subject to verification by Appointing Authority

⚠ Debarment from future SSC examinations and cancellation of candidature

How to Apply

Apply viaOnline at https://ssc.gov.in / mySSC mobile application (Google Play Store)

OTROne-Time Registration required on new SSC website

Aadhaar AuthAdvised

✓ Application not rejected for photo/signature not meeting prescribed standards
✓ Recent colour photographs and original valid photo-ID proof not required for admission to CBT venue

PhotoLive capture required (no existing photo upload)

SignatureJPEG/JPG, 10 to 20 KB, ~6.0 cm x 2.0 cm

Photo Rules

• Good light and plain background
• Camera at eye level
• Face fully inside prescribed area
• No cap, mask or spectacles
• Do not capture a pre-existing photograph

Certificate of Disability (Annexure-I / IA / XI-XIII as applicable) must be uploaded during application

Application Fee

₹100

General

Free

Women

Free

SC/ST

Free

PwBD

Free

ESM

Payment: BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, RuPay Debit cards

Fee once paid is non-refundable and will not be adjusted against any other examination

Correction Window

2026-05-20

Opens

2026-05-21

Closes

₹200

1st Correction

₹500

2nd Correction

Max 2 corrections allowed. Latest corrected application treated as valid.

Exam Centres

Choices3 centres

TypeAny three centres anywhere in the country in order of priority

Change LaterNo

⚠ SSC may add, cancel, or shift centres

Admission Certificate & Exam Day

Admit CardDownload 2-3 days before exam before exam

PrintoutRequired

Non-Aadhaar Report2 hours before exam

Photos Required2 recent passport photos

Accepted Photo IDs

Aadhaar Card / printout of E-AadhaarVoter's ID CardDriving LicensePAN CardPassportID Card issued by University/College/SchoolEmployer ID Card (Govt./PSU)Ex-Serviceman Discharge Book issued by Ministry of DefenceAny other photo-bearing ID issued by Central/State Government

⚠ DOB mismatch: Not allowed to appear

Computer Based Examination (CBE) — Written Examination

200 Questions200 Marks120 min (160 min with scribe)

+1 per correct−0.25 per wrongSectional timingObjective, Multiple ChoiceEnglish and Hindi (except English Language and Comprehension section)

Section	Questions	Marks	Per Q
General Intelligence and Reasoning	50	50	1
General Awareness	50	50	1
English Language and Comprehension	100	100	1
Total	200	200	1

Answer Key Policy

Tentative KeyReleased for candidate review

Challenge Fee₹50 per question

Fee RefundableNo

Final KeyUsed for result calculation

Normalization & Re-evaluation

NormalizationApplied if multiple shifts. Purpose: Final merit and cut-off determination; procedure as per SSC Notice dated 02-06-2025

Re-evaluationNot allowed

Minimum Qualifying Marks

Stage	UR	OBC/EWS	SC/ST/Others
CBE	30%	25%	20%

Shortlisting & Merit Rules

Cbt To Skill Test

Category-wise shortlisting from CBE for Skill Test. Separate cut-offs for Grade C and Grade D.

Final Merit Basis

CBE performance only (Skill Test is qualifying in nature)

Separate Merit For Grades

Separate merit lists for Grade C and Grade D

Post Preference Rules

Taken ViaOnline Option Form on SSC website before final result

No PreferenceCandidate will not be considered for that post/department

⚠ Candidate will not be considered for any post in final result

EditableNo

NatureFinal and irreversible

Scribe & Compensatory Time

Extra Time20 minutes per hour of examination for eligible candidates

Own ScribeAllowed

Opt-inMust opt during application form

Auto-eligible for Scribe

✓PwBD blindness
✓PwBD locomotor disability (both arms affected-BA)
✓PwBD cerebral palsy

Scribe Requirements

• Scribe must complete OTR on SSC website
• Scribe must be Aadhaar authenticated
• Scribe cannot assist more than one candidate in same examination
• A candidate in same examination cannot act as scribe for another candidate
• Scribe qualification must be one step below candidate qualification
• Scribe must not be on SSC's debarred list

Additional Rules

• Even eligible candidates not availing scribe still get compensatory time
• No attendant other than scribe allowed
• One-eyed/partially blind candidates may use own magnifying glass and will not be entitled to scribe

Document Verification

Conducted ByUser Departments/Organizations after declaration of final result

Required Documents

Matriculation/Secondary Certificate
12th Standard / Intermediate Certificate
Caste/Category Certificate (if applicable)
PwBD Certificate (if applicable)
ESM Certificate/Discharge Certificate (if applicable)
Relevant age relaxation certificate (if applicable)
No Objection Certificate (if already employed in Government)
Name change documents (if applicable)
Any other document specified in Admission Certificate for DV

Tie-Breaking Rules

1Total marks in English Language and Comprehension
2Older candidate placed higher
3Alphabetical order of names

Misconduct & Debarment

Post-exam Analysis Methods

Log analysisPhotograph verificationBiometric verificationCCTV review

Offense	Debarment
Taking away exam material from exam hall	1-2 years
Leaving examination venue before due exit procedure	1 year
Misbehaving/threatening exam functionaries	2-3 years
Obstructing conduct of examination	3 years
False statements / fabricated documents	1-3 years
Possession of mobile phone / electronic gadgets	3-5 years
Forged admit card / identity proof	3-5 years
Possession of firearms / threatening with weapons	7 years
Using unfair means / copying	7 years
Impersonation	7 years
Taking snapshots/videos of question papers	7 years
Sharing exam terminal via remote desktop	7 years
Hacking examination servers/data	7 years

⚠ Cases may be referred to police or investigating agencies.

Public Disclosure Policy

SSC May Publish After Final Result

NameFather/Husband's nameDate of BirthCategoryGenderEducational QualificationsTotal MarksRankingComplete addressEmail address

Opt-outCandidates can opt out of public disclosure

Disqualification Rule

A person who has contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or who having a spouse living has contracted marriage with any person, is disqualified unless exempted by Central Government.

Important Warnings

⚠Notification released 24 April 2026. Apply before 15 May 2026 (23:00 hrs). Last date for fee payment: 16 May 2026 (23:00 hrs).

⚠Only candidates with skills in stenography should apply — the Skill Test (100 wpm for Grade C, 80 wpm for Grade D) is mandatory.

⚠Success in examination does not confer right of appointment unless Government is satisfied about suitability. Admission at all stages is purely provisional.

⚠English Language section carries 100 marks (50% of total) — critical for stenographer posts.

⚠After appointment, candidates must acquire proficiency in the other language (English/Hindi) for stenography during probation.

⚠Candidates selected are liable to serve anywhere in India (All India Service Liability).

⚠Only male candidates are eligible for Grade D vacancies in Border Roads Organization (BRO). BRO posts have additional Physical Efficiency and Medical Standards (Annexure-XVI of notification).

⚠ESM reservation applies ONLY to Group C (Grade D) posts.

⚠Candidates must opt for Aadhaar-Based Authentication during OTR for a smoother application and exam experience.

2026 Cycle — Complete Timeline

Year2026

Notification2026-04-24

Registration Start2026-04-24

Registration End2026-05-15

Fee Payment End2026-05-16

Correction Window2026-05-20 to 2026-05-21

⚠ All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Vacancies

Total731

Per-post breakdown not yet published.

Previous Year Cut-Offs

SSC Stenographer — Historical Cut-offs by Category
Year	Tier	UR	OBC	EWS	SC	ST	Total Marks
2024	CBT (Grade D)	156.94 (78.5%)	154.07 (77.0%)	—	150.17 (75.1%)	129.73 (64.9%)	200
2023	CBT (Grade D)	131.32 (65.7%)	125.02 (62.5%)	—	109.41 (54.7%)	88.71 (44.4%)	200

* Cut-offs vary by year and vacancies. Scores shown as marks (percentage of total).

Important Dates — 2026

Event	Date	Status
Notification Released	23 Apr 2026	Completed
Online Registration Opens	23 Apr 2026	Completed
Online Registration Closes (23:00 hrs)	15 May 2026	Upcoming
Fee Payment Deadline (23:00 hrs)	16 May 2026	Upcoming
Application Form Correction Window	19 May 2026 — 21 May 2026	Upcoming
Computer-Based Examination (Tentative)(Tentative)	14 Jul 2026 — 31 Aug 2026	Upcoming

Sectional Practice

200 Qs120 min

Start Test

SSC Stenographer 2026

Eligibility

Exam Pattern

Computer Based Examination (CBE)

Syllabus

Posts & Pay Levels

Vacancies

Nationality & Citizenship

Educational Qualification

Age Limits & Relaxation

Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Rules

Category Certificate Rules

How to Apply

Admission Certificate & Exam Day

Computer Based Examination (CBE) — Written Examination

Answer Key Policy

Normalization & Re-evaluation

Minimum Qualifying Marks

Shortlisting & Merit Rules

Post Preference Rules

Scribe & Compensatory Time

Document Verification

Tie-Breaking Rules

Misconduct & Debarment

Public Disclosure Policy

Disqualification Rule

Important Warnings

2026 Cycle — Complete Timeline

Vacancies

Previous Year Cut-Offs

Important Dates — 2026

Sectional Practice

Mock Tests

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2020-12-24 Shift 2

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2021-11-12 Shift 1

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2021-12-15 Shift 2

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2022-11-17 Shift 1

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2022-11-18 Shift 2

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-10 Shift 1

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-10 Shift 2

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-10 Shift 3

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-11 Shift 1

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-11 Shift 2

SSC Stenographer Tier I — 2024-12-11 Shift 3

Frequently Asked Questions