SSC Stenographer 2026 Exam Dates and English Pattern

SSC Stenographer Grade C and D Examination 2026 will run from Wednesday, September 9 through Saturday, September 12, 2026. SSC approved the four-day CBE window in its August 12 schedule notice. Each candidate must still check the assigned day, shift and city in the official login.

English Language and Comprehension is the largest section: 100 questions, 100 marks and 60 minutes. The later Stenography Skill Test requires a ten-minute dictation at 100 words per minute for Grade C or 80 words per minute for Grade D.

For general workplace communication, start a free SpeakShark conversation. Use SSC previous papers and skill-test instructions for the recruitment examination.

Key takeaways

• The CBE runs September 9 to 12, 2026.
• English carries 100 of 200 questions and marks.
• English has a 60-minute sectional timer.
• Each wrong CBE answer loses 0.25 mark.
• Grade C dictation is 100 wpm; Grade D is 80 wpm.
• SSC listed approximately 731 tentative vacancies.

In this guide: date window | applications | English pattern | syllabus | skill test | selection | city slip | updates | research | FAQ

SSC Stenographer 2026 exam dates

The current approved schedule is a four-day window.

The original April 24 notification described a July-August CBE window. The August 12 notice is later and more specific, so September 9 to 12 is now the correct official window.

SSC scheduled Combined Hindi Translators Paper I on September 8, immediately before Stenographer begins. The SSC CHT 2026 guide owns that separate bilingual translator examination.

Do not assume a candidate can attend on any of the four dates. SSC assigns the date, time and centre. The four-day range describes the national conduct window.

Application dates and vacancies

The application period is closed.

SSC listed approximately 731 tentative vacancies. Grade C is Group B non-gazetted; Grade D is Group C. Vacancies come from government ministries, departments, organisations, attached offices, subordinate offices and statutory bodies.

The ordinary fee was ₹100, with stated exemptions for women and eligible SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen candidates.

Candidates need a recognised 12th-class pass or equivalent and stenography skill. SSC explicitly says only candidates with stenography skills are eligible to apply.

Age was measured on August 1, 2026. The general range was 18 to 30 for Grade C and 18 to 27 for Grade D, subject to the notification's relaxation rules.

PIB confirmed 26 Southern Region examination cities in the original planned window, including 12 in Andhra Pradesh, nine in Tamil Nadu, four in Telangana and one in Puducherry. Final assignments remain individual.

Computer-based English pattern

The CBE contains three separately timed parts.

English is half the CBE by question count, marks and total time. It is not a small qualifying add-on.

The sectional timer prevents moving unused minutes between parts. A candidate finishing General Awareness early cannot add that time to the English hour.

Every wrong answer loses 0.25 mark. Four wrong answers remove one mark.

If SSC conducts multiple shifts, it applies its published normalisation procedure. The normalised CBE score determines merit and cutoffs.

For comparison, SSC CGL 2026 English has 25 English questions in Tier I and 45 in Tier II. The patterns should not be mixed.

Official English syllabus

SSC's indicative English Language and Comprehension syllabus covers:

• Understanding of the English language.
• Vocabulary.
• Grammar.
• Sentence structure.
• Synonyms and antonyms.
• Correct usage.
• Writing ability.

The notice does not assign official question counts to each grammar topic. Topic predictions from coaching providers can be practice plans, not source evidence.

English marks also matter in a tie. SSC resolves equal aggregate CBE scores first by Part III English marks, then Part II General Awareness marks, then age and alphabetical order.

That tie-break rule gives English an additional selection role beyond its 100 marks.

For general language control, use improving speaking and writing, English conversation topics, and office small talk. Official SSC papers remain the source for CBE question style.

Stenography Skill Test speeds and times

Candidates shortlisted from the CBE must take a mandatory but qualifying Stenography Skill Test.

The dictation lasts ten minutes:

Candidates choose English or Hindi in the application. The dictated matter is transcribed on a computer.

SSC provides longer times for candidates eligible for a scribe under the notice.

A Hindi-medium candidate must learn English stenography after appointment, and an English-medium candidate must learn Hindi stenography. The user office can require work in either medium regardless of the examination choice.

The skill-test date is separate from the September CBE window. Regional Offices issue detailed instructions to shortlisted candidates.

How CBE and Skill Test affect selection

The selection sequence is:

1. Computer-based examination.
2. Category-wise shortlisting.
3. Mandatory Stenography Skill Test.
4. Qualification of the skill-test standard.
5. Allocation using CBE merit and post preferences.

The Skill Test is qualifying in nature. Final selection among candidates who qualify it uses CBE merit and the preference process.

Minimum CBE qualifying marks in the notice are:

These percentages are minimum qualifying marks, not final selection cutoffs. Vacancy, category, attendance and performance can produce higher cutoffs.

Candidates could apply for Grade C, Grade D or both. Post preferences matter during allocation, and failing a post-specific requirement after allocation does not guarantee consideration for a lower preference.

City information and admission certificate

SSC says examination timetable and city or centre information will be uploaded about ten days before the examination date.

The admission certificate is issued online. Candidates should check the main SSC site and the relevant Regional Office.

If candidate details are missing one week before the examination, the notice instructs the candidate to contact the Regional Office immediately with proof of application.

Keep these identifiers ready:

• Registration ID.
• Registered email address.
• Registered mobile number.
• Name and date of birth matching the application.
• Proof that the application was submitted.

The homepage calendar's April 30 entry is the planned advertisement date, not the September test date.

How to check the assigned date

Use this process:

1. Open ssc.gov.in directly.
2. Check the Notice Board for Stenographer Grade C and D Examination, 2026.
3. Log in through the candidate module.
4. Read the city information when released.
5. Download the admission certificate from the official route.
6. Confirm date, shift, reporting time and centre.
7. Monitor the Regional Office after CBE for Skill Test instructions.

The questions before booking an English test uses the same evidence discipline: never confuse an application date, national window and individual appointment.

For broader Indian recruitment communication, see English speaking apps for India jobs, job interview role plays, and call-centre English assessment. They do not replace shorthand practice.

Use the free speaking-level check, practice speaking alone, and best English speaking apps in 2026 for general output. Start free speaking practice with SpeakShark for oral communication, not SSC shorthand dictation.

How we researched this guide

On August 28, 2026, we checked the 85-page Stenographer Grade C and D notification, SSC's live notice board and the August 12 approved schedule through the existing browser profile.

The notification supplied application dates, 731 tentative vacancies, CBE pattern, English syllabus, skill-test speeds, transcription times and selection rules. The August 12 notice replaced the original July-August plan with September 9 to 12.

PIB confirmed the notification date, recruitment scope and Southern Region centre count. We kept CBE dates separate from the later Skill Test.

We did not substitute CHSL or CPO material, invent an individual shift, copy protected questions or use SpeakShark customer data.

We are a speaking improvement tool. We are not an exam preparation provider, and we are not affiliated with SSC, the Government of India, Pearson or any exam board. For test format, booking and official practice material, go to the exam body directly. Use SpeakShark to make your spoken English stronger, and use official material to learn the test.

FAQ

SSC approved September 9 through September 12, 2026 for the Stenographer Grade C and D computer-based examination. The August 12 schedule notice replaced the notification's earlier July-August window. Individual candidates still need their assigned date, shift, city and admission certificate from the official SSC login.

English Language and Comprehension contains 100 questions worth 100 marks and has a 60-minute sectional timer. General Intelligence and Reasoning and General Awareness each have 50 questions, 50 marks and 30 minutes. English therefore accounts for half of all computer-based questions and marks.

Yes. Each wrong answer in the computer-based examination loses 0.25 mark. One correct answer adds one mark, so four incorrect guesses erase one correct answer. SSC may normalise marks when the examination runs in multiple shifts, and the resulting CBE merit is used after the qualifying skill test.

The official syllabus tests understanding of English, vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, correct usage and writing ability. SSC does not publish a coaching-style chapter weight for every topic. Candidates should use the official syllabus and prior SSC papers without treating predicted topic counts as policy.

The skill test gives one ten-minute dictation in the chosen English or Hindi medium. Grade C requires 100 words per minute and Grade D requires 80 words per minute. English transcription time is 40 minutes for Grade C and 50 minutes for Grade D; Hindi receives 55 and 65 minutes.

No ordinary application window remains open. Applications ran April 24 to May 15 at 23:00, fee payment closed May 16 at 23:00, and corrections ran May 20 to 21 at 23:00. SSC listed approximately 731 tentative vacancies and required a recognised 12th-class qualification plus stenography skill.

For general spoken English, start free daily practice. Premium costs $10 for one month, $25 for three months, or $69 for one year. See pricing.

SpeakShark details

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Sources

1. SSC Stenographer Grade C and D 2026 notification, checked for applications, pattern, syllabus and skill test.
2. SSC August 12 approved schedule, checked for September 9 to 12.
3. SSC live notice board, audited for candidate and Skill Test updates.
4. PIB SSC Stenographer 2026 release, checked for notification and regional centres.
5. PIB vacancy and eligibility release, checked for 731 vacancies and age context.
6. National Portal SSC notice service, checked for the official notice route.
7. National Portal SSC website service, checked for official resources.
8. SpeakShark pricing, checked for current free and paid options.

SSC dates, shifts, vacancies, city information and skill-test schedules can change. Confirm the candidate login and newest official PDF before acting.