About UPSC Stenographer
The UPSC Section Officers/ Stenographers is an abbreviation
for UPSC SO. To hire graduate candidates as departmental officers and
crypto professionals, the UPSC Stenographer/ SO Exam is held.
A nationwide test for UPSC SO Steno Grade B/Grade 1 is given by the
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). For the recruitment of applicants for
Section Officer (SO) and Stenographers Grade B/Grade 1 positions, the UPSC
Section Officers/ Stenographers Grade Exam is held. Every year, the Union Public
Service Commission administers the exam for Section Officers (SO) and
Stenographers. The written test and assessment of the performance of the
candidates are key components of the UPSC SO Steno selection process. The
candidates are only invited for evaluation if they achieve the required minimum
marks. The UPSC SO / Steno 2023 post is a Class B appointment with the Central
Government. There will be objective and subjective question types in the UPSC
Stenographer Exam.
Latest Updates
- UPSC
SO/Steno Registration will start from 13 September to 4 October 2023. The
exam will be conducted on 10 December 2023.
UPSC Stenographer Summary
UPSC
Stenographer 2023- Exam Summary |
|
Full
Form of the Exam |
UPSC
Section Officers/Stenographers 2023 |
Organization |
Union
Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Post
Name |
Section
Officers or Stenographers |
Vacancy |
To
be announced |
Exam
Date |
Tentatively
10th December 2023 |
Exam
Frequency |
Annually
conducted |
Exam
Level |
National
Level |
Exam
Mode |
English
and Hindi |
Application
Mode |
Online |
Exam
Mode |
Offline(Pen
and Paper mode) |
Recruitment
Process |
Based
on Written Exams & Skills |
Education
Qualification |
Graduate |
Age
Limit |
No
age limit |
Official
website- mention the official website of the exam |
UPSC Stenographer Important Dates
The official announcement for the 2023 UPSC SO/Steno Recruitment has not
yet been made. Soon after the official notice, the crucial dates for UPSC
SO/Steno 2023 are going to be released. Following the publication of the
notification, one may consult the official announcement for the important
dates. The following dates are approximate for the UPSC SO/Steno Recruitment
2023:
Important
events |
Tentative
Date |
UPSC
Stenographer Notification 2023 |
13th September 2023 |
Registration
Start |
13th September 2023 |
Registration
Ends |
04th October 2023 |
UPSC
Stenographer Admit Card release |
Three
weeks before the exam |
UPSC
Stenographer Exam Date |
10th December 2023 |
UPSC
Stenographer Result |
To
be Announced |
UPSC
Stenographer Score Card |
To
be Announced |
UPSC Stenographer Vacancies
The Union Public Service Commission claims that several openings need to
be filled. However, the estimate has not yet been made public. The vacancies
will be made available with the official notification soon.
UPSC Stenographer Eligibility
Before applying for the test, applicants are recommended to review the
UPSC SO Steno Eligibility Criteria. There are nine categories in the UPSC SO
Steno, which are listed below:
- Category
1: Section Officers Grade of the Central Secretariat
Service.
- Category
2: Section Officers Grade
(Integrated Grade II & III) of the General Cadre of the Indian Foreign
Service, Branch ‘B’
- Category
3: Section Officers Grade of the
Railway Board Secretariat Service
- Category
4: Private Secretary Grade of the Central
Secretariat Stenographers Service.
- Category
5: Grade I of the Stenographers’ Cadre of the Indian
Foreign Service, Branch B
- Category
6: Grades ‘A’ & ‘B’ merged of the Armed Forces
Headquarters Stenographers Service
- Category
7: Grade ‘B’ of the Railway Board
Secretariat Stenographers Service.
- Category
8: Section Officers Grade of the
Intelligence Bureau.
- Category
9: Private Secretary Grade in
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation.
Age
There is no age limit for UPSC Stenographer 2023 examination as of now.
If there are any it will be officially announced on UPSC official site.
Qualification
The following provides a summary of the UPSC SO Steno criteria for
eligibility for the various services and categories:
Services |
Eligibility
Criteria |
Section
Officers (SO) Grade of the Central Secretariat Service |
Candidates
must have 5 years of working experience and have at least four annual
performance appraisals in the assistant’s grade of the Central Secretariat
Service Personal Assistants’ Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers
Service. Must possess the degree of bachelor from any recognized university. |
Section
Officers (SO) Integrated Grade 2nd & 3rd) of the General Cadre of the
Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ |
Applicants
must have not less than five years of experience in Grade 4 of the general
cadre or Grade 2 of the stenographer’s cadre or Grade 2 of the Cypher
sub-cadre of the Indian Foreign Service or branch B of IFS or all the
mentioned criteria. |
Section
Officers (SO) Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Service |
Must
have at least five years experience in service in the assistant’s grade of
the Railway Board Secretariat Service or Grade 2/Grade C of the Railway Board
Secretariat Stenographers’ Service or both. |
Private
Secretary Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service |
Must
have not less than 3 years of work experience in service in the Personal
Assistant Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service. Candidates
should have a bachelor’s degree from any recognized university or any
equivalent |
Grade
I of the Stenographers’ Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch B |
Should
have at least five years of work experience in service of Grade 2 of the
Stenographers cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch B. |
Grade
‘A’ & ‘B’ merged the Armed Forces Headquarters Stenographers’ Service |
Candidates
require to have at least three years of experience in service of Grade
2/Grade C of the Armed Forces Headquarters Stenographer’s Service |
Grade
‘B’ of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service |
Aspirants
must have at least 5 years of experience in the service of Grade 2 or Grade C
of the RBSSS (Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service). |
Section
Officers’ Grade of the Intelligence Bureau. |
Aspirants
who are permanently appointed with a minimum of 4 years of experience as
Assistants/ Personal Assistants (Stenos Grade 2) of the Intelligence Bureau.
If aspirants are selected via LDCE, then the LCD Exam must be conducted after
5 years from the crucial date. |
Private
Secretary Grade in Employees’ State Insurance Corporation |
Aspirants
must have at least three years of regularized experience in PA (Personal
Assistant) Grade in ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation). |
Nationality / Citizenship
The applicant must be an Indian citizen and should have Indian
citizenship to be eligible for UPSC Stenographer 2023 examination.
Additionally, he should be engaged in any of the central government departments
in any profile.
UPSC Stenographer Application Process
Candidates have the option of applying online for the UPSC SO Steno
Exam. Application for the UPSC SO Steno position is done online. On the UPSC’s
official website, applicants must complete the application forms. The candidate
must take a printed copy of the application after completing it and sending it
by the deadline and mail it to the Commission’s administration.
Application fees
The application fees for various categories are mentioned below:
Category |
Application
Fee |
General |
Rs.
100 |
OBC |
Rs.
100 |
SC |
Rs.
100 |
ST |
Rs.
100 |
Application Steps
An online application is completed and submitted in 6 steps. The
UPSC SO/STENO 2023 application procedure is outlined below in detail.
Step 1: Registration
- Visit
the UPSC website first, then click the button to register for UPSC
SO/STENO 2023.
- After
clicking the link, fill out all the fields with your information,
including your name, address, phone number, and email address.
- Submit
your registration form after providing the necessary information.
Step 2: Login ID
- All
candidates who successfully register will receive a second login and
password through their registered phone number or ID.
Step 3: completing the application
- Now
enter your username and password to log in.
- Applicants
must choose the correct position type for which they would apply after
logging in.
- Include
all the pertinent information requested in the application, including your
name, phone number, email address, parental information, level of
education, permanent residence, and category.
Step 4: Document uploading
- The
candidate has to upload all supporting papers in the required format after
applying.
- A
list of the documents needed to apply, some of which are available for
download.
- a
passport-sized picture
- Signature
- Category
Certificate
- Degree
or grade report from the qualifying test.
Step 5: Fee Payment
- Applicants
must pay the necessary fee for registration for each category after
completing the application.
- Both
online and offline payment methods are accepted for the subscription price.
- The
UPSC Steno / SO 2023 application fee is Rs 100 per applicant.
Step 6: Application Submission
- The
applicant must submit the application form, print two copies, and deliver
them along with the payment receipt after completing the form and paying
the price. A duplicate should be stored safely for future use.
- The
Chief of Division (HoD) / Head of the Commission Office must be given a
second paper copy of the application and payment receipt.
- It
is sent to the Union Public Service Commission’s Undersecretary (E-VI),
Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi, 110069.
UPSC Steno Admit Card
The UPSC SO/STENO test hall ticket will be available for download to all
applicants who complete the application. Three weeks before the UPSC SO/STENO
test, the link to get the entrance ticket will be live. The UPSC SO / Steno
admit card is available for download from the UPSC website.
Admit Card Details
The following information is included in the UPSC SO Steno Admit Card:
- Candidate’s
Name
- Roll
No.
- Date
of Examination
- Examination
Centre address and Code
- Father’s
Name
- Registration
No.
How to Download the UPSC SO Steno Admit Card?
Visit UPSC’s official website.
- The
“Link / Entrance Cards / Hall Tickets” tab should be selected.
- Find
the SO / STENO 2023 Entry Ticket / Ticket link, and then click it.
- Now
log in using the necessary data, including your app number, password, and
captcha code.
- Your
admission card will then be seen on a new page that will then appear on
the screen.
- Now
print a duplicate of your entrance ticket or pass card on paper for future
use.
Exam Centre Details
Candidates will have the option to select their exam location based on
the names of the other locations in which the exam will be taken because the
UPSC SO / STENO exam is a nationwide examination that will be held in 5
distinct states of the nation. The test is administered as follows.
- Chennai
- Delhi
- Kolkata
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
UPSC Stenographer Exam Pattern
The UPSC SO/Steno Exam consists of three papers. There will be objective
and subjective question types in the UPSC SO Steno test. The information for
each paper in the UPSC SO Steno Exam is provided below.
Paper 1 Exam Pattern
Exam
Mode |
Offline |
Duration |
2
Hours |
Type
of Questions |
MCQs
(Multiple Choice Questions) |
Medium
of Exam |
Hindi
and English |
Maximum
Marks |
150
Marks |
Negative
Marking |
A
0.33 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer |
Paper 2 Exam Pattern
Exam
Mode |
Offline |
Duration |
2
Hours |
Type
of Questions |
MCQs
(Multiple Choice Questions) |
Medium
of Exam |
Hindi
and English |
Maximum
Marks |
150
Marks |
Negative
Marking |
A
0.33 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer |
Paper 3 Exam Pattern
Exam
Mode |
Written
Exam |
Timing |
03
hours |
Type
of Questions |
Subjective
Type |
Medium
of Exam |
Hindi/
English (Optional) |
Maximum
Marks |
200 |
Negative
Marking |
No |
Note: Candidates must write at a speed of 100 words per minute
for 10 minutes to pass the verbatim English/Hindi test. They will then be given
55 and 45 minutes in Hindi to complete the test and written exam in
English accordingly. 5% of the overall written score will be reduced for
illegible writing.
UPSC Stenographer Syllabus
The Union Civil Service Commission will also make a full announcement of
the UPSC SO / Steno syllabus along with the first portion of the official
release. Knowing the curriculum and outline is crucial before studying for this
test.
Name
of Paper |
UPSC
SO Steno Exam Topics |
Paper
I |
1.
The principles of the Constitution of India |
Paper
II (for Category I, IV, VIII & IX) |
1.
Manual of office procedure (latest edition) |
Paper
II (for Category II & V) |
1.
Manual of office procedure (latest edition). |
Paper
II (for Category III & VII) |
1.
Manual of Office Procedure issued by the Mm. of Railways (Railway Board). |
Paper
II (for Category VI & X) |
1.
Manual of office procedure (latest edition). |
Paper
III |
Candidates
need to make notes and drafts on certain problems and précis from a passage. |
UPSC SO Steno Shorthand Test 2023
- The
candidates who successfully get the minimum qualifying marks in round 1
are required to take the shorthand exam.
- The
UPSC SO Steno recruitment is currently in its second phase.
- The
applicants who have been shortlisted must take the shorthand exam in Hindi
or English at a speed of 100 words per minute.
- This
exam will be a dictation test,which applicants must complete in 40 or 55
minutes.
UPSC SO Steno Evaluation Procedure 2023
- The
assessment process, which carries a total of 100 marks, is the last round.
- The
candidates who made it through rounds 1 and 2 will go to this stage for
final selection.
- The
ranking will take into account the grades attained in the assessment of
the service history.
- In
the examination of the service record, candidates must receive at least
40% of the possible points.
UPSC Stenographer Result and Cutoffs
The UPSC SO / Steno results/scorecards for the exam will be available
for download by the applicant after clearing the examination. The selection
procedure will determine the ultimate hiring outcomes, which will be disclosed.
A merit list will be released by UPSC based on the total number of
qualifications granted for each position.
- A
candidate’s ranking will be indicated on his score/results card.
- The
results/scorecard will allow applicants to compare their scores and total
score.
- A
list of accomplishments broken down by application type will also be made
public by the Civil Service Union Commission.
UPSC Stenographer Cutoffs
The UPSC SO Steno cut-off marks from the previous year are now
accessible on the commission’s official website. The paper-by-paper cut-off
marks for the UPSC SO Steno test pattern are shown here for applicants who wish
to advance to the various rounds.
The table below displays the minimum cutoff scores for each category for
the most recent UPSC SO / Steno test. This table should be used by applicants
to gain a sense of the anticipated cutoffs.
Written Exam
SECTION OFFICERS’ GRADE (Categories I, II,
III & VIII)
Category |
General |
SC |
ST |
Category
1 |
150 |
100 |
77 |
Category
2 |
180 |
103 |
NA |
Category
3 |
242 |
NA |
NA |
Category
8 |
331 |
NA |
187 |
PRIVATE SECRETARY GRADE/ STENOGRAPHERS’
SERVICE (Categories IV, V, VI, VII & IX )
Category |
General |
SC |
ST |
Category
4 |
210 |
168 |
NA |
Category
5 |
230 |
NA |
NA |
Category
6 |
253 |
252 |
NA |
Category
7 |
222 |
172 |
NA |
Category
9 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Final Cut-Off Marks
SECTION OFFICERS’ GRADE (Categories I, II,
III & VIII)
Category |
General |
SC |
ST |
Category
1 |
274 |
199 |
177 |
Category
2 |
310 |
222 |
NA |
Category
3 |
368 |
NA |
NA |
Category
8 |
230 |
201 |
90 |
PRIVATE SECRETARY GRADE/ STENOGRAPHERS’
SERVICE (Categories IV, V, VI, VII & IX)
Category |
General |
SC |
ST |
Category
4 |
110 |
88 |
NA |
Category
5 |
130 |
NA |
NA |
Category
6 |
135 |
NA |
NA |
Category
7 |
122 |
92 |
NA |
Category
9 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
UPSC Stenographer Selection Procedure
- The
offline written test and the service assessment process will serve as the
main procedure for the UPSC SO Steno selection process.
- Those
candidates who met the requirements in the written test will be contacted
by the recruitment body, or UPSC, for the next round of review.
- Candidates
are only invited for evaluation if they achieve the required minimum
marks.
- After
the candidates’ service periods have been evaluated, the eligibility
requirements are checked.
- The
shortlisted applicants will receive an employment offer letter from UPSC
following the conclusion of the evaluation process.
Every year, Section Officer and Stenographer examinations are held by
the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It is reasonable to assume that
many candidates will try this test, thus it is advisable to thoroughly
familiarise yourself with the exam format and content and to devote yourself to
your preparations.
Best Books for UPSC SO Stenographer 2023
Examination
Paper 1 Books
The list of UPSC SO books for Paper 1 is provided below for candidates.
Subject |
Book
Title |
Author
Name |
Manual
of office procedures |
Practice
and Procedures of Parliament |
M.N.
Kaul, S.L. Shakdher |
Parliament
of India |
R
Gupta |
|
RTI
ACT 2005 |
RTI
Manual |
P.C.
Garg |
RTI
ACT 2005 |
Devendra
Kumar Singh |
|
Constitution
of India |
Indian
Political System and Constitution of India |
Dr.
B.L. Fadia and Dr. Kuldeep Fadiyai |
The
Framework of the Constitution of India and Government |
P
Banerjee |
|
General
Awareness |
General
Awareness yearbook |
Arihant
Publications |
Paper 2 Books
There are various categories in Paper 2. Category-wise books are
mentioned below:
Books for Category I, IV, VI, VIII & IX
Subject |
Book
Title |
Author
Name |
Manual
of office procedures |
Office
Procedure |
Muthuswamy
And Brinda |
Central
Government |
Handbook
for Central Government Staff |
Muthuswamy
And Brinda |
General
financial policies |
Indian
Foreign Policy |
Harsh
V Pant |
Central
Civil services |
Central
Civil Service ( Pension ) Rules |
Bahri
Brothers |
Compilation
of Central Civil Services ( Classification, Control, and Appeal ) Rules |
Sumedha |
|
Compilation
of General Financial Rules and Advances to Central Govt. Servants |
Swamy |
Books for Category II, V, III & VII
Subject |
Book
Title |
Author
Name |
Manual
of office procedures |
Office
Procedure |
Muthuswamy
And Brinda |
Central
Government |
Handbook
for Central Government Staff |
Muthuswamy
And Brinda |
Railway
Services |
The
Railway Servants Discipline and Appeal Rules |
M.L.
Jand |
Railway
Accounts, Finance & Administration (Volume I & II) |
KP
Sharma, RR Nanda and Sanjiv Malhotra |
Books for Paper 3
In the subjective Paper 3 of the UPSC SO Stenographer exam, candidates
will be given a passage to read. The applicant will need to make notes and
draughts on certain passage-related topics. Candidates are recommended to
practice their comprehension skills for this paper by reading literary
passages or scenarios of various governmental organizations.
Important books are listed below:
Subjects/Papers |
Resources |
Current
Affairs |
The
Hindu The Indian Express Business Standard |
Indian
Polity and Constitution |
CBSE
11th and 12th-grade syllabus of Political Science, Economics, and Business
Administration. |
Public
Administration |
Official
Indian Govt Website for Department Administration Reforms |
Check Out Other Police Exams :
FAQ’s
Q. What are the eligibility criteria for the
exam?
A. There are certain eligibility criteria that the candidate has to me
to get qualified for the post:
- Category
1- Grade of the Central Secretariat Service : Applicants must have 5-
years of work experience and have at least four performance appraisals at
the Central Secretariat Service Personal Assistants ’Grade of Central
Secretariat Stenographers Service.
- Category
2-Grade (Integrated Grade Second and Third) of the General Cadre of the
Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ : Aspirants must have 5- years of work
experience of Grade 4th general cadre or Grade second of Cypher sub-cadre,
branch B of IFS, or all the mention criteria.
- Category
3-Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Service : Applicants with 5-
years of work experience in the assistant grade of Railways Board
Secretariat Service or Grade second or Grade C of Railways Board
Secretariat.
- Category
4-Private Secretary, Central Secretariat Stenographers Service: Aspirants
must have a maximum of 3- years of work experience in the Central
Secretariat Grade Stenographer Service. To apply for this category, students
should possess a bachelor’s degree.
- Category
5-Grade first of the Stenographers Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service,
Branch B: Aspirants must have 5 years of continuous work practice and
experience in Grade second of Steno Cadre of IFS, branch B is applicable.
- Category
6-Grade A and B merged of the Armed Forces Headquarters Stenographers
Service: Applicants must have 3 years per day work experience in Armed
Forces Headquarters Service in Grade second / Grade C
- Category
7-Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers Service Grade B: –
- Aspirants
must have 3 years of per day and approved work experience in Grade
second/Grade C of Railway Board Steno jobs
- Category
8-Grade of the Intelligence Bureau – If students are selected through
LDCE, the exam must not hold 5 years before the crucial date.
- Category
9-Private Secretary, State Insurance Corporation – Aspirants must have 3
years of approved and per day work practice in Personal Assistant Grade in
employees State Insurance Corporation.
Q. What is the exam pattern of the UPSC Steno
exam?
Before knowing more about the exam, you will have to know the exam
pattern of the UPSC Steno/SO of the same. The exam pattern is divided into
three parts. And we will see in detail about the same:
Paper I Exam Pattern
Exam
Mode |
Offline
Mode |
Timing |
120
Minutes |
Question
Type |
Multiple
Choice Question |
Maximum
Marks |
150
Marks |
Paper-II Exam pattern
Exam
Mode |
Written
Exam |
Duration |
120
Minutes |
Question
Type |
Objective
Type |
Maximum
Marks |
150
Marks |
Paper III Exam Pattern
Exam
Mode |
Written
Exam |
Timing |
03
hours |
Maximum
Marks |
200 |
Q. How to download the admit card for the
UPSC Steno exam?
Aspiring candidates who are applying for UPSC Steno/SO post can download
their admit card from the official website. It will be released in the form of
an e-ticket. Following are the steps to download the Admit Card for the exam:
- Navigate
to the Official website of UPSC i.e. upsc.gov.in.
- On
the home page, click on the ‘admit card’ tab that is given on the right
side.
- After
clicking access the link for downloading the admit card.
- Enter
the registered email id.
- Admit
card will be displayed on the screen.
- Now
candidates can take the printout of the admit card for future uses
Q. What is the syllabus of the UPSC Steno
exam?
A. After the admit card is downloaded, the candidate must know the exam
syllabus to prepare for the exam in a better way. Following are the syllabus
for the UPSC Steno/SO:
Paper I:
- The
principles of the Constitution of India
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- The
organization of the machinery of the Govt. of India, Designation and
allocation of subjects between Ministries, Departments and Attached &
Subordinate Offices and their relation intersection.
- RTI
Act, 2005.
Paper-II:
Few topics are mentioned here for each category of Paper-II.
(For Category I, IV, and VIII & IX)
- Manual
of office procedure (latest edition)
- Notes
on office procedure issued by the Institute of Secretarial Training and
Management.
- Handbook
of orders regarding the use of Hindi for the official purpose of the Union
issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. (for Category I & IV only)
- Fundamental
and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P. &T’s compilation, Chaudhury’s
compilation, Swamy’s compilation). and more
(For Category II & V)
- Manual
of office procedure (latest edition).
- Notes
on office procedure issued by the I.S.T.M.
- Handbook
of orders regarding the use of Hindi for the official purpose of the Union
issued by the Min. of Home Affairs.
- The
Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules.
- The
Central Civil Services (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Rules. and
more
(For Category III & VII)
- Indian
Railway Establishment Code Vol. I.
- Manual
of Office Procedure issued by the Min. of Railways (Railway Board).
- The
Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1966.
- The
Railway Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rule, 1968
(For Category VI)
- Manual
of office procedure (latest edition).
- The
Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
- The
Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules.
- Financial
Regulations Part I (Revised Edition).
- Central
Civil Service (Leave) Rules
Paper III:
In the third paper, candidates are required to prepare notes and drafts
on specific problems and precise from the given passage.
Q. What are the guidelines for the UPSC
Steno/SO exam?
A. Candidates meeting the eligibility requirements will have to apply
online through the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in.
- Submit
the online application before the last date as per the notification. They
should apply at 11.59 pm on the last date to apply. After this date, the
link for applying online will be disabled.
- Candidates
are recommended to make sure that they fill up the columns in the online
application form correctly. They cannot change the entries after
submission through any channel.
- While
visiting the website of UPSC, they will find a link called “Apply online”
on the right side of the website. clicking on this link, they will find
the link to various positions for which the online application gateway is
open.
- Candidates
will have to click on the appropriate link for the SO/Steno position. When
they click on this link, they will get to a page containing the list of
instructions to fill up the online application. Here, they will have the
option to print the instructions or they can click on the next option.
- Before
they click on the proceed button, candidates will be prompted to click on
the declaration that ensures that they have completely read the
instructions.