Exam overview
- Qualification
- Set in each notice. Read the essential qualification paragraph for the grade and cut-off date that apply to you.
- Age limit
- Set in each notice for Grade C and Grade D. Check the cut-off date and relaxation table before applying.
- Selection process
- A computer-based examination (reasoning, general awareness, English language and comprehension) followed by a skill test in stenography, with dictation at 100 words per minute for Grade C and 80 for Grade D.
At a glance
Conducting body: Staff Selection Commission
Qualification: Set in each notice. Read the essential qualification paragraph for the grade and cut-off date that apply to you.
Age limit: Set in each notice for Grade C and Grade D. Check the cut-off date and relaxation table before applying.
Selection: A computer-based examination (reasoning, general awareness, English language and comprehension) followed by a skill test in stenography, with dictation at 100 words per minute for Grade C and 80 for Grade D.
Stages to expect
Computer-based examination: general intelligence and reasoning (50 questions), general awareness (50) and English language and comprehension (100), in 2 hours.
Skill test: one 10-minute dictation in English or Hindi, transcribed on a computer in the time the notice allows.
How to prepare
The written paper leans on English, so give grammar, vocabulary and comprehension a large share of your week.
For the skill test, practise dictation at a steady speed and transcribe on a computer, since accuracy in transcription matters as much as shorthand speed.
Before you apply
Every cycle publishes its own notice, and it overrides anything summarised here. Save the notice, check its reference and any corrigendum, confirm qualification and age dates, and apply only through the official portal. No one can promise you a selection, so avoid anyone who does.
Official sources
Editorial review: 24 October 2026. This is an evergreen guide, not a recruitment notification. Dates, fees, vacancy numbers and cut-offs change every cycle, so check the current official notice.
