UPSC Steno Exam 2023: Latest News, Eligibility, Salary & Dates

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	https://www.upsc.gov.in/

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 2. 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 inter Se. 3. Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha RTI Act, 2005.
Paper II (for Category I, IV, VIII & IX)	1. Manual of office procedure (latest edition) 2. Notes on office procedure issued by the Institute of Secretarial Training and Management. 3. 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) 4. Fundamental and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P.&T’s compilation, Chaudhury’s compilation, Swamy’s compilation). 5. The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules. 6. The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. 7. The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules. Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules. Compilation of the General Financial Rules, (Revised and Enlarged). Delegation of Financial Power Rules. Intelligence Bureau Standing Orders (for Category VIII only).
Paper II (for Category II & V)	1. Manual of office procedure (latest edition). 2. Handbook of orders regarding the use of Hindi for the official purpose of the Union issued by the Mm. of Home Affairs. 3. Notes on office procedure issued by the I.S.T.M. 4. Fundamental and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P. & T’s compilation, Chaudhury’s compilation, Swamy’s compilation). 5. The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules. 6. The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules. 7. Compilation of the General Financial Rules (Revised and enlarged). Delegation of Financial Power Rules. Indian Foreign Service (PLCA) Rules. Financial Powers of Government of India’s Representatives Abroad. 8. Assisted Medical Attendance Schemes. 9. Indian Foreign Service (Conduct and Discipline) rules.
Paper II (for Category III & VII)	1. Manual of Office Procedure issued by the Mm. of Railways (Railway Board). 2. Indian Railway Admn. and Finance (excluding Chapters V, VI, VIII & IX). 3. Handbook of orders regarding the use of Hindi for the official purpose of the Union issued by the Mm, of Home Affairs 4. Indian Railway Financial Code Vol. I (excluding Chapters II and VI). 5. The Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1966. 6. Indian Railway Establishment Code Vol. I. 7. The Railway Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rule, 1968.
Paper II (for Category VI & X)	1. Manual of office procedure (latest edition). 2. Handbook of orders regarding the use of Hindi for official purposes of Home Affairs. 3. Notes on office procedure issued by the Institute of Secretarial Training and Management. 4. The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. 5. Fundamental and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P.&T’s comp Swamy’s compilation). 6. The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules. 7. The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules. 8. Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules. Financial Regulations Part I (Revised Edition).
Paper III	Candidates need to make notes and drafts on certain problems and précis from a passage.

UPSC SO Steno Shorthand Test 2023

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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.