SSC Stenographer: where the notification appears (and the Skill Test)
The SSC Stenographer Grade C and Grade D recruitment cycle begins with an official notification published on the Staff Selection Commission website. The PDF, the apply link, and the subsequent CBT and Skill Test (shorthand) schedules all go live on ssc.gov.in under the 'Latest News' and 'Notice Board' sections โ third-party coaching sites and aggregators do NOT get it first.
When the notification drops it carries the vacancy split between Grade C (Ministries and Departments under the Government of India) and Grade D (various Central Government offices), the eligibility (12th-pass minimum, age 18-30 for Grade D and 18-27 for Grade C, with standard relaxations), the exam dates, and the application window โ typically open for about three weeks.
The Skill Test can disqualify you regardless of CBT marks
Grade C requires dictation at 100 words per minute for 10 minutes; Grade D requires 80 wpm for 10 minutes. Transcription is on a computer. Failing the Skill Test disqualifies you regardless of your CBT score โ so build shorthand speed in parallel with written prep, not after it.
The CBT itself is 200 questions in 120 minutes (+1 per correct, โ0.25 per wrong) across General Intelligence & Reasoning (50), General Awareness (50), and English Language & Comprehension (100 โ double-weighted, so English is where the exam is won). Start practice early: see the SSC Stenographer syllabus, check the salary and grades, and take a free SSC Stenographer mock test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SSC Stenographer Skill Test speed requirement?
Grade C: 100 words per minute dictation for 10 minutes. Grade D: 80 wpm for 10 minutes. Transcription is done on a computer, and the Skill Test is mandatory to qualify.
Which section carries the most weight in the Stenographer CBT?
English Language & Comprehension โ it has 100 of the 200 questions (double the other two sections), so English is where the exam is decided.
Stop reading. Start practising.
The Kamiyab Team is a group of Sarkari-exam mentors and content specialists who track official SSC, UPSC, Banking and Railway notifications and analyse years of previous-year papers. Every guide is built from the current official pattern and reviewed for accuracy before it's published โ and updated when the exam pattern changes.