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SSC Stenographer 2026 Syllabus & Exam Pattern

Anshika

Jul 15, 2026

SSC Stenographer 2026 syllabus consists of three main sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, and English Language and Comprehension. The selection process involves a Computer-Based Test (CBT) and a skill-based exam. The CBT is composed of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), totaling 200 questions, with each question worth 1 mark. A penalty of 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer, a change implemented in SSC Exam Pattern in 2023. Additionally, the SSC Stenographer Skill Test evaluates candidates' typing abilities, requiring them to type at a speed of 100 words per minute for Grade C positions and 80 words per minute for Grade D positions.

SSC Stenographer 2026 Syllabus Highlights

Particulars Details
Name of Exam SSC Stenographer 2026
Conducting Body SSC (Staff Selection Commission)
Designation SSC Stenographer.
Qualifying rounds 2 (CBT test and Shorthand skill test)
Mode of Examination Online
Total number of questions (CBT) 200
Maximum Marks (CBT) 200
Type of questions (CBT) MCQs
Marking scheme +1 for every correct answer; negative marking of 0.25 for each wrong answer
Language of exam Bilingual (Hindi and English)
Duration of Exam
  1. CBT (2 hours)
  2. Skill Test Grade C: 40 Minutes(English) & 55 Mins (Hindi)
  3. Skill Test Grade D: 50 Minutes(English) & 65 Mins (Hindi).
Official website www.ssc.nic.in

SSC Stenographer 2026 CBT Exam Pattern

SSC Stenographer consists of a Computer-based test:

  • Mode of Exam: Computer-Based Test (Online)
  • Type of Exam: MCQs
  • Duration of Exam: 2 hours
  • Total number of Questions: 200
  • Maximum Mark Obtained: 200
  • Negative marking for each wrong question: 0.25
  • Points awarded for each correct answer: +1
  • Language of Exam: Bilingual (Hindi and English)
Sections Number of Questions Max marks
General Intelligence and Reasoning 50 50
General Awareness 50 50
English Language and Comprehension 100 100
Total 200 200

SSC Stenographer 2026 Syllabus for CBT

SSC Stenographer comprises a CBT test where the question paper is divided into 3 sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, English Language, and Comprehension.

SSC Stenographer Syllabus for General Intelligence and Reasoning

The SSC Stenographer test comprises the following topics under General Intelligence and Reasoning:

  • Analogies
  • Similarities and Differences
  • Space visualization
  • Problem-solving
  • Analysis
  • Judgment
  • Decision making
  • Visual memory
  • Discriminating observation
  • Relationship concepts
  • Arithmetical reasoning
  • Verbal and figure classification
  • Arithmetical number series
  • Non-verbal series

SSC Stenographer Syllabus for General Awareness

The SSC Stenographer test comprises the following topics under General Awareness:

  • Sports
  • History
  • Culture
  • Geography
  • Economic scene
  • General Polity including the Indian Constitution
  • Scientific Research

SSC Stenographer Syllabus for English Language and Comprehension

SSC Stenographer test comprises the following topics under English Language and Comprehension.

  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Sentence structure
  • Synonyms Antonyms
  • Writing ability

SSC Stenographer 2026 Syllabus PDF

Any candidate preparing for the SSC Stenographer exam must go through the syllabus thoroughly, as it provides a clear structure and clarity to the candidate. The syllabus provides a detailed description of topics and their weightage in the examination.

SSC Stenographer 2026 Skill Test Exam Pattern

After passing the first stage of the SSC Stenographer exam, candidates are called for a skill test in stenography. They are expected to type at the speed of 100 words per minute for the post of Stenographer Grade C and 80 words per minute for the post of Stenographer Grade D.

Candidates are dictated for 10 minutes from the topic of choice mentioned below:

  • President’s Speech
  • Topics on Natural Calamities
  • Speech given in the Parliament
  • Topics from the Editorial Columns of Newspapers
  • Railway Speech
  • Employment/Unemployment in India
  • Topics of National Interest
  • Budget Speech
  • Topics on Science and Technology
  • Any Topic of National Interest

Time Allotted for Transcription for SSC Stenographer

Grade C: 40 Minutes (English) 55 Mins (Hindi)

Grade D: 50 Minutes (English) 65 Mins (Hindi)

Minimum Qualifying Marks for SSC Stenographer 2026

SSC Stenographer minimum qualifying marks are mentioned below; however, the candidate must take into consideration cut-off marks for SSC Stenographer which are different from the qualifying marks mentioned below:

Category Minimum Qualifying marks
UR 30%
OBC, EWS 25%
SC/ST, PWD 20%

SSC Stenographer Preparation Tips

  • Stay updated with the current trends in the world as well as in India for better knowledge about current affairs through magazines and newspapers.
  • Time management will be the key coupled with high accuracy to achieve good scores in the SSC Stenographer exam.
  • Understand the SSC Stenographer syllabus and exam pattern thoroughly and focus on covering important topics at least twice before taking the SSC Stenographer exam.

SSC Stenographer Books

SSC Stenographer books are crucial for any candidate opting for the exam. It provides aspirants with insights about the subject, study for aspirants, and topic-wise distribution in the paper. Some of the SSC Stenographer recommended books are mentioned below:

Subject Book Name Author Name
General Intelligence and Reasoning Non-Verbal Reasoning BS Sijwali & Indu Sijwali
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Kiran Publication
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning RS Agarwal
Analytical Reasoning MK Pandey
General Awareness General Knowledge Binay Karna
Monthly magazines Pratiyogita Darpan
Science Book (Upto High School) NCERT
English Language and Comprehension English Grammar Book Wren and Martin
Objective General English R S Agarwal
Objective General English S P Bakshi

SSC Stenographer is an annually occurring exam conducted by the Selection State Commission. It is an all-India level examination for recruitment of Grade C and Grade D Stenographers. It is a two-stage examination. The first stage is a CBT or computer-based test and the second stage is a shorthand skill test.

SSC Stenographer Syllabus 2026 FAQs

Ques. What is the typing speed for an SSC Stenographer?

Ans. It is 100 words per minute for a Grade C Stenographer and 80 words per minute for a Grade D Stenographer.

Ques. What percentage of errors are allowed in the SSC Stenographer shorthand test?

Ans. The commission has a fixed category-wise percentage of errors/mistakes. For the Unreserved category, it is up to 5%, and 7% for all reserved candidates across all categories.

Ques. What is the basic knowledge required for a Stenographer?

Ans. Stenographers are required to have extensive knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation in the language.

Ques. How are the Cut-off marks calculated for the SSC Stenographer Exam?

Ans. Cut-off marks are calculated depending on the total number of vacancies, total marks, difficulty of the exam, and number of candidates that appeared for the exam.

Ques. How many attempts are there for the SSC Stenographer exam?

Ans. There is no attempt limit but there is an age limit outlined by the commission. The SSC Stenography exam requires no prior experience. The qualification to appear for the exam is candidates are required to pass their intermediate exams.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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