Stenographer Grade C/D (SSC)

Taking dictation in shorthand from a senior officer, then typing it out as letters, notes and orders. Also fixing meetings, handling files and sensitive papers, and keeping an officer's office work running. Grade C is a Group B (non-gazetted) post. Grade D is a Group C post.

A day in the work
You reach the office and check your officer's schedule and the day's files. When the officer calls you in, you take down a letter or note in shorthand, often in a hurry. Back at your desk you type it out neatly, check names, dates and figures, and send it for signature. In between you take calls, arrange meetings and keep confidential papers safe. Some days are quiet. Others are rushed when a deadline or a meeting is coming up.

1. Step 1 · Class 9–12Any stream works. Build three habits early: fast, accurate typing, good English (the exam is half English), and listening carefully. Start learning shorthand in English or Hindi if you can.
2. Step 2 · Class 12 and agePass Class 12 on or before 1 August of the exam year, and be at least 18. In 2026 the age limits were 18–30 for Grade C and 18–27 for Grade D, counted on 1 August 2026. SC, ST, OBC, PwBD, ex-servicemen and some others get age relaxation.
3. Step 3 · Apply onlineRegister once on ssc.gov.in (One-Time Registration), then apply when the notice comes out. You choose Grade C, Grade D or both, and English or Hindi for the skill test. In 2026 the notice came on 24 April and the form closed on 15 May. Fee ₹100 (reported); women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen pay nothing (reported).
4. Step 4 · Computer-based exam (CBE)A 200-question objective test with three parts: reasoning (50), general awareness (50) and English (100). It lasts 2 hours, with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer. Minimum pass marks are 30% for General, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for others. In 2026 SSC's 12 August notice set it for 9–12 September, and it was later reported to run to 15 September. (reported — check with the official body)
5. Step 5 · Skill test in stenographyYou get one 10-minute dictation, in English or Hindi as you chose. The speed is 100 words per minute for Grade C and 80 for Grade D. You then type it out on a computer in a fixed time. For English, that is 40 minutes for Grade C and 50 for Grade D. For Hindi, it is 55 and 65 minutes. Candidates are shortlisted category-wise from the CBE marks. The skill test is qualifying only, so you must pass it, but it is not meant to add to your rank (reported).
6. Step 6 · Verification and allotmentShortlisted candidates have their documents checked, then get a ministry or department from the merit list. There is no interview. Medical and character checks follow as per the user department's rules (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
7. Step 7 · Joining and probationYou join the department you are allotted to. Departments need stenographers in English or Hindi, whichever you chose. If you chose Hindi you must learn English stenography after joining, and the other way round. Otherwise your probation may not be cleared.

Fees from: SSC Notice: Stenographer Grade 'C' & 'D' Examination, 2026 · Telangana ITI Admissions 2025: Payment fee in Govt ITIs (Annexure-III) · Telangana ITI Admissions 2024: Tuition Fee (Annexure-III). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

A fixed government pay scale with allowances, so it varies mainly by grade, by the city you are posted in (house rent and city allowances differ) and by promotions over the years.

SSC says women are encouraged to apply. Posts are marked suitable for several benchmark disabilities, such as blindness and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, locomotor disability and autism spectrum disorder. Candidates allowed a scribe get extra transcription time. Grade D posts in the Border Roads Organisation, if any, are for men only. Age relaxation applies to women (widows and divorced women) and to PwBD candidates (reported).

• Class 7–9Practise touch typing for 15 minutes a day on a free typing tutor. Aim for accuracy first, then speed.Open link ↗
• Class 10–12Open the latest SSC Stenographer notice and read the skill test speeds (80 and 100 words per minute). Then ask your school or a local polytechnic whether shorthand is taught.Open link ↗
• College or afterRead one English newspaper editorial a day and write down five new words. English is half the SSC exam. Free English courses are also on SWAYAM.Open link ↗

• There is no separate Grade C route. Both grades come from the same exam, and you can apply for both. Grade C pays more and needs 100 wpm, so it has fewer posts.
• Dates, age limits and vacancies change every year. Read the latest notice on ssc.gov.in. For 2026, skill test dates were still to be announced when this page was checked (reported).
• Your rank comes from the computer-based exam. Strong English matters a lot, because it carries half the marks (reported).
• Posts are in many different offices, mostly in Delhi but also elsewhere. SSC does not collect state-wise vacancies, so you must ask the user department about the posting place.