EXAM SYLLABUS

The SSC Stenographer syllabus consists of three main sections—General Intelligence & Reasoning (50 marks), General Awareness (50 marks), and English Language & Comprehension (100 marks), making a total of 200 marks in a 2-hour Computer-Based Test (CBT). After qualifying the CBT, a mandatory Skill Test (stenography) is conducted.

The SSC Stenographer exam has two main stages:

Stage 1 - Computer-Based Test (CBT) Syllabus

The CBT consists of three sections with objective (MCQ) questions:

A. General Intelligence & Reasoning (50 marks)

This section tests logical, analytical and reasoning ability. Topics include:

Analogies
Similarities and differences
Space visualization and orientation
Problem solving & analysis
Judgment and decision making
Visual memory
Relationship concepts
Arithmetical reasoning
Verbal and figure classification
Coding-decoding
Number series (arithmetical and figure)
Non-verbal series
Syllogisms (as per some guides)
Statement and conclusion (as per some guides)
Blood relations and direction sense (as per some expanded lists)
Puzzles and pattern completion (in some sources)

B. General Awareness (50 marks)

This section checks awareness of the environment and general knowledge. Topics include:

Current events — national & international
History of India
Geography of India & world
Indian polity and Constitution basics
Economic scene and general economics
Culture & heritage of India
Science & technology basics
Sports and awards
Everyday observation and experience
Knowledge about India and neighbouring countries
Environment and ecology (basic)

C. English Language & Comprehension (100 marks)

This section tests English grammar, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Topics include:

Reading comprehension passages
Vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions
Grammar — sentence correction, spotting errors
Fill in the blanks
Idioms and phrases
Cloze test
Sentence improvement & grammar usage
Active & passive voice
Direct & indirect speech
Spellings and word usage
Para jumbles and rearrangement of sentences
Phrase replacement and sentence completion

2. Skill Test in Stenography (Qualifying)

The skill test is qualifying in nature — you must meet the speed and accuracy criteria to be eligible for final selection:

Skill Test Pattern

Dictation Duration: 10 minutes
Language: English or Hindi (chosen during application)
Speed Required:
Grade C: 100 words per minute
Grade D: 80 words per minute

Transcription Time

Grade C:
English: 40 minutes
Hindi: 55 minutes
Grade D:
English: 50 minutes
Hindi: 65 minutes

Candidates must accurately transcribe the dictated passage within the allotted time on a computer. This stage tests your shorthand and typing efficiency, but the marks of this test are not added to your CBT score — it is only qualifying.

LETS DISCUSS THE SYLLABUS WITH TOPICS & WEIGHTAGE:

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE & REASONING DETAILED SYLLABUS

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Intelligence & Reasoning with examples and difficulty level of the questions asked in the SSC  Stenographer Examination:

EXAM SYLLABUS

The SSC Stenographer syllabus consists of three main sections—General Intelligence & Reasoning (50 marks), General Awareness (50 marks), and English Language & Comprehension (100 marks), making a total of 200 marks in a 2-hour Computer-Based Test (CBT). After qualifying the CBT, a mandatory Skill Test (stenography) is conducted.

The SSC Stenographer exam has two main stages:

Stage 1 - Computer-Based Test (CBT) Syllabus

The CBT consists of three sections with objective (MCQ) questions:

A. General Intelligence & Reasoning (50 marks)

This section tests logical, analytical and reasoning ability. Topics include:

Analogies
Similarities and differences
Space visualization and orientation
Problem solving & analysis
Judgment and decision making
Visual memory
Relationship concepts
Arithmetical reasoning
Verbal and figure classification
Coding-decoding
Number series (arithmetical and figure)
Non-verbal series
Syllogisms (as per some guides)
Statement and conclusion (as per some guides)
Blood relations and direction sense (as per some expanded lists)
Puzzles and pattern completion (in some sources)

B. General Awareness (50 marks)

This section checks awareness of the environment and general knowledge. Topics include:

Current events — national & international
History of India
Geography of India & world
Indian polity and Constitution basics
Economic scene and general economics
Culture & heritage of India
Science & technology basics
Sports and awards
Everyday observation and experience
Knowledge about India and neighbouring countries
Environment and ecology (basic)

C. English Language & Comprehension (100 marks)

This section tests English grammar, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Topics include:

Reading comprehension passages
Vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions
Grammar — sentence correction, spotting errors
Fill in the blanks
Idioms and phrases
Cloze test
Sentence improvement & grammar usage
Active & passive voice
Direct & indirect speech
Spellings and word usage
Para jumbles and rearrangement of sentences
Phrase replacement and sentence completion

2. Skill Test in Stenography (Qualifying)

The skill test is qualifying in nature — you must meet the speed and accuracy criteria to be eligible for final selection:

Skill Test Pattern

Dictation Duration: 10 minutes
Language: English or Hindi (chosen during application)
Speed Required:
Grade C: 100 words per minute
Grade D: 80 words per minute

Transcription Time

Grade C:
English: 40 minutes
Hindi: 55 minutes
Grade D:
English: 50 minutes
Hindi: 65 minutes

Candidates must accurately transcribe the dictated passage within the allotted time on a computer. This stage tests your shorthand and typing efficiency, but the marks of this test are not added to your CBT score — it is only qualifying.

LETS DISCUSS THE SYLLABUS WITH TOPICS & WEIGHTAGE:

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE & REASONING DETAILED SYLLABUS

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Intelligence & Reasoning with examples and difficulty level of the questions asked in the SSC  Stenographer Examination:

Note: The above examples of various topics are for illustrative purposes only.

GENERAL AWARENESS DETAILED SYLLABUS

Given below is the detailed syllabus of General Awareness with examples and difficulty level of the questions asked in the SSC stenographer Examination:-

Note: The above examples of various topics are for illustrative purposes only.

ENGLISH COMPREHENSION DETAILED SYLLABUS

Given below is the detailed syllabus of English Comprehension with examples and difficulty level of the questions asked in the SSC stenographer Examination:

Note: The above examples of various topics are for illustrative purposes only.

Stage 2 – Skill Test (Qualifying)

Candidates who clear CBT appear for the stenography skill test.

Dictation Speed:

Grade C: 100 words per minute

Grade D: 80 words per minute

Transcription:

English or Hindi (as opted)

Must meet required accuracy standards

This stage is qualifying only and does not add marks to final merit.

Preparation Insight for 2026

English section is scoring but lengthy

Reasoning is moderate and manageable

General Awareness depends heavily on current affairs

Regular shorthand practice is essential for Skill Test.

EXAM PATTERN

The SSC Stenographer exam will be held in two stages. The first stage consists of the Grade C and D exam, which includes multiple-choice questions and is conducted online. After the completion of this exam, SSC will conduct a skills test to assess your proficiency in various areas.

Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Stenographer Examination in two Tiers i.e Tier I and Tier II. While SSC Stenographer Tier I is conducted in Online Mode, on the other hand, Tier II is  Stenography Skill Test. Tier- I of the SSC Stenographer Examination will be held as a Computer Based Examination consisting of three sections which are of Objective Type, Multiple choice questions. It will consist of a total of 200 Questions of 200 Marks (1 Mark for each question). Total duration of the examination is 120 minutes and 40 minutes extra with people with benchmark disabilities. 

The section-wise distribution of the number of questions and marks are indicated below:

Note- The exam is not separately timed for each section. Candidates who clear the SSC Stenographer CBT (Stage 1) will be called for Skill Test.

Skill Test in Stenography

Candidates who qualify the CBT are called for the skill test. This stage is qualifying only and evaluates stenography speed and accuracy.

Skill Test Details:

Dictation Duration: 10 minutes.
Language Options: English or Hindi (as chosen in application).
Required Speed:
Grade C: 100 words per minute.
Grade D: 80 words per minute.

Transcription Time:
For Grade D: English – 50 minutes; Hindi – 65 minutes.
For Grade C: English – 40 minutes; Hindi – 55 minutes.
For PwD candidates eligible for scribe, extra time is provided (e.g., Grade D Hindi up to 90 min, Grade C Hindi up to 75 min).

EXAM PATTERN

The SSC Stenographer exam will be held in two stages. The first stage consists of the Grade C and D exam, which includes multiple-choice questions and is conducted online. After the completion of this exam, SSC will conduct a skills test to assess your proficiency in various areas.

Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Stenographer Examination in two Tiers i.e Tier I and Tier II. While SSC Stenographer Tier I is conducted in Online Mode, on the other hand, Tier II is  Stenography Skill Test. Tier- I of the SSC Stenographer Examination will be held as a Computer Based Examination consisting of three sections which are of Objective Type, Multiple choice questions. It will consist of a total of 200 Questions of 200 Marks (1 Mark for each question). Total duration of the examination is 120 minutes and 40 minutes extra with people with benchmark disabilities. 

The section-wise distribution of the number of questions and marks are indicated below:

Note- The exam is not separately timed for each section. Candidates who clear the SSC Stenographer CBT (Stage 1) will be called for Skill Test.

Skill Test in Stenography

Candidates who qualify the CBT are called for the skill test. This stage is qualifying only and evaluates stenography speed and accuracy.

Skill Test Details:

Dictation Duration: 10 minutes.
Language Options: English or Hindi (as chosen in application).
Required Speed:
Grade C: 100 words per minute.
Grade D: 80 words per minute.

Transcription Time:
For Grade D: English – 50 minutes; Hindi – 65 minutes.
For Grade C: English – 40 minutes; Hindi – 55 minutes.
For PwD candidates eligible for scribe, extra time is provided (e.g., Grade D Hindi up to 90 min, Grade C Hindi up to 75 min).

Mode Of Examination

SSC Stenographer Examination will be held as a Computer-Based Examination and will contain only Objective Type, multiple-choice based questions.

Medium Of Examination

1. The Questions from General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness &  will be available both in English & Hindi Languages.

2. The Questions from English Language & Comprehension will be available only in English.

Marking Scheme

1. For each correct answer, 1 Mark will be awarded.

2. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 Marks for each wrong answer.

3. No marks will be deducted for the Unattempted Questions.

4. Based on the marks scored in Tier- I, candidates will be shortlisted, category-wise, to appear in Tier- II Examination.

Minimum Qualifying Marks

Minimum qualifying marks in Tier- I Examination are as follows:

Normalisation of Marks

The Staff Selection Commission has already decided to normalize the scores of candidates for the examinations which are conducted in multi-shifts to take into account any variation in the difficulty levels of the question papers across different shifts.

The following formula will be used by the Commission to calculate the final score of candidates in the multi-shift examinations:

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates willing to apply for SSC Stenographer Examination are required to fulfill certain conditions to be eligible for it. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum Educational Qualification, etc., their candidature shall be rejected by the authorities. The criteria for eligibility SSC are decided by the conduction body itself.

The candidate’s eligibility for SSC Stenographer Examination is based on the fulfillment of the following conditions:

Nationality.

Age Limit & Relaxations.

Educational Qualifications.

Medical Standards.

Nationality

A candidate must be either:

A Citizen of India, or, 

A subject of Nepal, or, 

A subject of Bhutan, or, 

A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 to permanently settle in India or, 

A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to permanently settle in India, shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4), and (5) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Note: A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the Examination but the offer of appointment will be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him by the Government of India.

Age Limit

Applicants should generally be at least 18 years old and not exceed the maximum age limit prescribed for the respective grade.

Age Relaxation

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates willing to apply for SSC Stenographer Examination are required to fulfill certain conditions to be eligible for it. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum Educational Qualification, etc., their candidature shall be rejected by the authorities. The criteria for eligibility SSC are decided by the conduction body itself.

The candidate’s eligibility for SSC Stenographer Examination is based on the fulfillment of the following conditions:

Nationality.

Age Limit & Relaxations.

Educational Qualifications.

Medical Standards.

Nationality

A candidate must be either:

A Citizen of India, or, 

A subject of Nepal, or, 

A subject of Bhutan, or, 

A Tibetan Refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 to permanently settle in India or, 

A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to permanently settle in India, shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4), and (5) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

Note: A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the Examination but the offer of appointment will be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him by the Government of India.

Age Limit

Applicants should generally be at least 18 years old and not exceed the maximum age limit prescribed for the respective grade.

Age Relaxation

Educational Qualification

In order to be eligible for the SSC Stenographer Examination, candidates must have passed the 12th standard or equivalent examination from a recognised Board or University.

Additional Requirement (for Skill Test)

Candidate must have knowledge of Shorthand/Typing (Stenography) in English or Hindi as per the post requirements.

Note

There is no minimum percentage requirement in 12th class. Passing is enough.

Candidates appearing in the final year of 12th are not usually eligible – they must have the certificate before the last date of application.

Medical Standards

General Health

1. Candidate must be physically and mentally fit.

2. Should not have any serious disease, disability, or health problem that can affect job performance.

Vision (Eyesight)

1. Must have normal vision, either with or without spectacles.

2. Proper colour vision is necessary (no colour blindness).

Hearing

1. Candidate must have normal hearing ability without hearing aids.

Speech

2. Clear speech is important, as stenographers often handle dictation and transcription.

Other Requirements

1. Candidate must not have any physical deformity that prevents efficient work.

2. No chronic illnesses or conditions that affect regular attendance.

Medical Test

1. A proper medical examination is conducted by government-authorised doctors before the final appointment.

2. Candidates failing medical standards may be disqualified, even if they cleared the CBT & Skill Test.

IMPORTANT DATES

The Staff Selection Commission is scheduled to conduct the SSC Stenographer Grade C and D Computer Based Examination (CBE) 2026 during August–September 2026, as per the official calendar issued on 8 January 2026.

EXAM ANALYSIS

The Staff Selection Commission conducted the SSC Stenographer Grade C & D Computer Based Examination (CBT) 2025 in August 2025. The written exam was held on 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th August 2025 for candidates across India.

After the CBT, tentative answer keys were released later in August and the final answer key was published on 2 January 2026.

Exact Exam Dates and Shift Structure

Written Exam (CBT) – August 2025

The SSC Stenographer CBT was conducted across multiple dates (4 days) to accommodate all applicants.

Exam held on: 6, 7, 8 and 11 August 2025

Shift pattern: The exam was held in multiple shifts per day (usually morning, afternoon and evening slots), similar to other SSC exams to manage the large number of candidates.

Duration: 2 hours for standard candidates; extended time for VH/OH candidates where applicable.

Exact shift timings were mentioned in the admit card issued by SSC before the exam.

Exam Pattern & Structure (2025 Cycle)

The SSC Stenographer exam follows a two-stage selection:

Stage 1 – Computer Based Examination (CBT)

Mode: Online (Objective MCQs)

Total Questions: 200

Total Marks: 200

Duration: 2 hours (extended time for eligible PwBD candidates)

Sections:

General Intelligence & Reasoning – 50 questions – 50 marks

General Awareness – 50 questions – 50 marks

English Language and Comprehension – 100 questions – 100 marks

Negative marking: 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.

Scores are normalised to account for multiple shifts.

Stage 2 – Skill Test (Stenography Test)

Candidates who qualify the CBT are shortlisted for the skill test in stenography (qualifying in nature).

Grade C: 100 words per minute dictation

Grade D: 80 words per minute dictation

Transcription: To be done on computer within the prescribed time based on language (English/Hindi).

Difficulty Level (2025 Analysis)

While SSC does not publish official difficulty ratings, analysis from candidate feedback and pattern trends suggests:

Computer Based Test (CBT) Difficulty

General Intelligence & Reasoning: Moderate

General Awareness: Easy to Moderate (with mix of static GK and current affairs)

English Language: Moderate

Overall: Moderate level pattern with time management crucial due to 2-hour duration and sectional spread — many candidates found reasoning and English more scoring, while general awareness varied in difficulty. (inferred from question papers and practice PDFs)

The CBT pattern typically remains stable year-on-year, so aspirants for 2026 can expect similar level of questions unless SSC notifies otherwise.

Cut-Off Trends (2025 Cycle)

Previous cut-offs from SSC Stenographer 2025 provide a useful benchmark for predicting next year:

SSC Stenographer 2025 – Grade C Cut-off Highlights

UR Category: ~142.43

OBC: ~141.77

SC: ~135.44

ST: ~120.38

SSC Stenographer 2025 – Grade D Cut-off Highlights

UR Category: ~132.31

OBC: ~129.22

SC: ~117.77

ST: ~105.75

Insight: Grade C cut-offs are generally higher than Grade D because of smaller vacancy scale and competition among higher aspirants. These figures are based on final results and normalised scoring.

Skill Test Dates (Follow-Up for 2025 Cycle)

For those who cleared the CBT, the skill test (stenography dictation and transcription) was scheduled on 28 and 29 January 2026.

This stage is qualifying in nature and does not carry marks for final merit — candidates must just meet the required speed and accuracy standards.

What to Expect for SSC Stenographer 2026

Based on the official SSC tentative calendar and past trends:

The SSC Stenographer Grade C & D CBE 2026 is scheduled between August and September 2026.

Notification and application details will be released by SSC well in advance.

The exam pattern and marking scheme are likely to remain the same: a 200-mark CBT followed by a qualifying skill test.

Difficulty level is expected to be moderate, similar to the previous cycles, though changes may occur depending on shift difficulty.

Cut-off trends can be expected to stay close to or slightly above previous cycles, depending on vacancies, competition, and overall performance in CBT.

Summary – Key Insights for SSC Stenographer 2026 Preparation

Last Exam:

CBT held on 6–8 & 11 Aug 2025 with multi-shift structure and 2-hour duration.

Pattern:

200 questions (General Intelligence, General Awareness, English) with negative marking of 0.25.

Skill Test:

Followed the CBT; qualifying in nature with dictation requirements.

Difficulty:

Moderate across sections, with time management as a key factor.

Cut-off Trends:

Grade C ~140+ (UR), Grade D ~130+ (UR) previously; can vary by year.

Expectations for 2026:

Similar pattern, multi-shift CBT, followed by skill test; slightly competitive cut-offs based on performance and vacancies projected.

STUDY TIPS

To crack the SSC Stenographer exam, candidates should first understand the complete syllabus and exam pattern. The written exam has three sections – General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, and English Language & Comprehension, followed by a qualifying Skill Test in stenography.

Exam Pattern

Skill Test (Shorthand Test): This is the most crucial part, as the exam will assess your stenographic skills.

Stenographer Grade C: 100 wpm for English and 80 wpm for Hindi.

Stenographer Grade D: 80 wpm for English and 50 wpm for Hindi.

Computer-Based Test (CBT): Tests your General Awareness, Reasoning, General Intelligence, and English Comprehension.

200 questions, with a time duration of 2 hours.

Negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

Subject-wise Preparation Tips

General Intelligence & Reasoning

Topics: Analogies, Classification, Coding-Decoding, Puzzles, Series, Direction, Blood Relations, Non-verbal reasoning.

Preparation Tips

1. Practice reasoning questions daily (both verbal & non-verbal).

2. Focus on solving quickly – speed matters.

3. Books: R.S. Aggarwal (Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning).

General Awareness

Topics: Current Affairs, History, Polity, Geography, Economy, Science, Static GK.

Preparation Tips

1. Read daily current affairs (last 6 months before exam is crucial).

2. Focus on Indian Constitution, Freedom Movement, Geography, Economy basics.

3. Revise Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics – 9th/10th NCERT).

4. Use Lucent’s General Knowledge + Monthly Current Affairs PDFs.

English Language & Comprehension

Topics: Vocabulary, Grammar, Synonyms-Antonyms, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Reading Comprehension.

Preparation Tips

1. Read English newspaper/editorials daily for comprehension practice.

2. Revise grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, articles).

3. Practice previous year SSC English papers.

Books: Plinth to Paramount by Neetu Singh, SP Bakshi (Objective General English).

STUDY PLANS

The only deciding factor for the selection or rejection of a candidate is the Strategy & Planning, which is used by them for their preparation for the SSC Stenographer examination. A good and result-oriented Strategy and planning for the examination will allow the candidates to make their way through the SSC Stenographer examination. The foremost step in planning involves preparing a study plan based on the Syllabus.

6 Month Study Plan (Preparation Phase)

Month 1: Basic Understanding & Foundation

General Intelligence & Reasoning:

Topics: Analogy, Series, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation, Direction, Syllogism

Daily 1 hr practice

General Awareness:

NCERT History, Geography, Polity basics

Current Affairs: Daily 10–15 mins

English Language & Comprehension:

Grammar: Tenses, Articles, Prepositions, Sentence Correction

Vocabulary: 5–10 new words daily

Stenography Practice:

Basic shorthand symbols, 10–15 mins daily

Month 2: Concept Strengthening

General Intelligence & Reasoning:

Puzzles, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning

Practice previous year SSC Steno questions

General Awareness:

Current Affairs (last 6 months), basic economy & science

English:

Comprehension practice, paragraph writing

Stenography:

Dictation 5 mins daily, transcription practice

Speed target: 20–25 wpm

Month 3: Practice & Speed Building

Reasoning & English:

Topic-wise mock tests (2–3 per week)

General Awareness:

Quizzes, notes making

Stenography:

Dictation 8–10 mins daily

Speed target: English 40–50 wpm, Hindi 20–25 wpm

Month 4: Full-Length Mock Test Integration

2–3 full-length SSC Steno CBT practice tests per week

Time management: 2 hours me complete karna

Identify weak areas in Reasoning, English, GA

Stenography: 10–12 mins dictation daily, transcription practice 25–30 wpm

Month 5: Advanced Practice & Accuracy Focus

Full-length mock tests: 3–4 per week

Focus on tricky reasoning and grammar errors

Stenography: 10–12 mins dictation, target speed

Daily error analysis, reduce mistakes

Month 6: Final Refinement

Mock tests alternate days

Revision notes for General Awareness

Stenography: 12–15 mins dictation daily

Target speed: English 70–80 wpm, Hindi 35–40 wpm

3 Month Study Plan (Preparation + Practice Phase)

Month 1: Foundation & Basics

General Intelligence & Reasoning (1.5 hr daily):

STUDY TIPS

To crack the SSC Stenographer exam, candidates should first understand the complete syllabus and exam pattern. The written exam has three sections – General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, and English Language & Comprehension, followed by a qualifying Skill Test in stenography.

Exam Pattern

Skill Test (Shorthand Test): This is the most crucial part, as the exam will assess your stenographic skills.

Stenographer Grade C: 100 wpm for English and 80 wpm for Hindi.

Stenographer Grade D: 80 wpm for English and 50 wpm for Hindi.

Computer-Based Test (CBT): Tests your General Awareness, Reasoning, General Intelligence, and English Comprehension.

200 questions, with a time duration of 2 hours.

Negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

Subject-wise Preparation Tips

General Intelligence & Reasoning

Topics: Analogies, Classification, Coding-Decoding, Puzzles, Series, Direction, Blood Relations, Non-verbal reasoning.

Preparation Tips

1. Practice reasoning questions daily (both verbal & non-verbal).

2. Focus on solving quickly – speed matters.

3. Books: R.S. Aggarwal (Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning).

General Awareness

Topics: Current Affairs, History, Polity, Geography, Economy, Science, Static GK.

Preparation Tips

1. Read daily current affairs (last 6 months before exam is crucial).

2. Focus on Indian Constitution, Freedom Movement, Geography, Economy basics.

3. Revise Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics – 9th/10th NCERT).

4. Use Lucent’s General Knowledge + Monthly Current Affairs PDFs.

English Language & Comprehension

Topics: Vocabulary, Grammar, Synonyms-Antonyms, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Reading Comprehension.

Preparation Tips

1. Read English newspaper/editorials daily for comprehension practice.

2. Revise grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, articles).

3. Practice previous year SSC English papers.

Books: Plinth to Paramount by Neetu Singh, SP Bakshi (Objective General English).

STUDY PLANS

The only deciding factor for the selection or rejection of a candidate is the Strategy & Planning, which is used by them for their preparation for the SSC Stenographer examination. A good and result-oriented Strategy and planning for the examination will allow the candidates to make their way through the SSC Stenographer examination. The foremost step in planning involves preparing a study plan based on the Syllabus.

6 Month Study Plan (Preparation Phase)

Month 1: Basic Understanding & Foundation

General Intelligence & Reasoning:

Topics: Analogy, Series, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation, Direction, Syllogism

Daily 1 hr practice

General Awareness:

NCERT History, Geography, Polity basics

Current Affairs: Daily 10–15 mins

English Language & Comprehension:

Grammar: Tenses, Articles, Prepositions, Sentence Correction

Vocabulary: 5–10 new words daily

Stenography Practice:

Basic shorthand symbols, 10–15 mins daily

Month 2: Concept Strengthening

General Intelligence & Reasoning:

Puzzles, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning

Practice previous year SSC Steno questions

General Awareness:

Current Affairs (last 6 months), basic economy & science

English:

Comprehension practice, paragraph writing

Stenography:

Dictation 5 mins daily, transcription practice

Speed target: 20–25 wpm

Month 3: Practice & Speed Building

Reasoning & English:

Topic-wise mock tests (2–3 per week)

General Awareness:

Quizzes, notes making

Stenography:

Dictation 8–10 mins daily

Speed target: English 40–50 wpm, Hindi 20–25 wpm

Month 4: Full-Length Mock Test Integration

2–3 full-length SSC Steno CBT practice tests per week

Time management: 2 hours me complete karna

Identify weak areas in Reasoning, English, GA

Stenography: 10–12 mins dictation daily, transcription practice 25–30 wpm

Month 5: Advanced Practice & Accuracy Focus

Full-length mock tests: 3–4 per week

Focus on tricky reasoning and grammar errors

Stenography: 10–12 mins dictation, target speed

Daily error analysis, reduce mistakes

Month 6: Final Refinement

Mock tests alternate days

Revision notes for General Awareness

Stenography: 12–15 mins dictation daily

Target speed: English 70–80 wpm, Hindi 35–40 wpm

3 Month Study Plan (Preparation + Practice Phase)

Month 1: Foundation & Basics

General Intelligence & Reasoning (1.5 hr daily):

Topics: Analogy, Series, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relation, Direction, Syllogism

Short puzzles & daily 10–15 questions practice

General Awareness (1 hr daily):

NCERT History, Geography, Polity basics

Current Affairs: Daily 10 mins

English Language & Comprehension (1 hr daily):

Grammar: Tenses, Articles, Prepositions, Sentence Correction

Vocabulary: 5–10 new words daily

Stenography (30–45 mins daily):

Basic shorthand symbols

Dictation: 5 mins, transcription practice

Month 2: Practice & Speed Building

Reasoning & English (2 hr daily):

Topic-wise mock tests, previous year SSC Steno questions

Comprehension practice & paragraph writing

General Awareness (30–45 mins daily):

Current Affairs (last 6 months), Economy & Science basics

Make short notes for revision

Stenography (1 hr daily):

Dictation 8–10 mins daily

Speed target: English 40–50 wpm, Hindi 20–25 wpm

Transcription within time

Month 3: Full-Length Mock Tests & Final Revision

Full-length CBT Mock Tests (2 hr daily):

Alternate days 1 full-length test

Analyze mistakes, revise weak areas

General Awareness:

Quick revision of static GK & last 6 months current affairs

English:

Grammar & comprehension revision

Stenography (1 hr daily):

Dictation 10–12 mins daily

Target speed: English 70–80 wpm, Hindi 35–40 wpm

Accuracy above 95%

Final Week:

Light revision only, focus on confidence

Steno: Daily 10 mins dictation, maintain speed & accuracy

Relaxation, proper sleep, and exam mindset preparation

1 Month Revision & Exam Readiness Plan

Week 1–2:

Daily 1 full-length CBT mock test

Analyze mistakes, revise weak topics

Stenography: Dictation 10–12 mins, transcription within time

Week 3:

Focus on high-weightage topics

Quick GA revision: Current Affairs, Static GK

English: Comprehension & grammar revision

Steno: Speed 70–80% of target

Week 4 (Final Week):

Light revision only

1–2 mock tests max, focus on confidence

Steno: Daily dictation 10 mins, accuracy above 95%

Relaxation & sleep maintain

OVERVIEW

SSC Stenographer is a national-level competitive exam conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) for the recruitment to the post of Stenographer Grades C and D (Non-Gazetted). Candidates selected through the SSC Stenographer recruitment exam will be posted to the various central government departments/ministries as well as their subordinate offices in different states and Union Territories. 

SELECTION PROCESS

The SSC Stenographer (Grade C & D) Selection Process consists of the following stages:

Computer Based Examination (CBE)

Mode: Online

Type: Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)

Subjects:

General Intelligence & Reasoning

General Awareness

English Language & Comprehension

Negative Marking: 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer

Candidates must qualify this stage to move to the Skill Test.

Skill Test (Stenography Test)

This is a qualifying stage.

Candidates are given a dictation in English or Hindi and must transcribe it within the prescribed time.

Dictation Speed:

Grade C: 100 words per minute

Grade D: 80 words per minute

Transcription Time:

English:

Grade C: 40 minutes

Grade D: 50 minutes

Hindi:

Grade C: 55 minutes

Grade D: 65 minutes

Candidates must meet the required accuracy standards to qualify.

Document Verification

Verification of educational qualification

Age proof

Category certificate (if applicable)

Other required documents

Final Selection

Final merit is prepared based on marks obtained in the Computer Based Examination, subject to qualifying the Skill Test and document verification.