SSC Stenographer Grade ‘C’ & ‘D’ Exam Answer Key 2026

8. Essential Educational Qualifications (As on 01.08.2026):

8.1 Candidates must have passed 12th standard or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University as on or before the cut-off date i.e. 01.08.2026.

8.2 As per Ministry of Human Resource Development Notification dated

10.06.2015 published in the Gazette of India all the degrees/diplomas/certificates awarded through Open and Distance Learning mode of education by the Universities established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature, Institutions Deemed to be Universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and Institutions of National Importance declared under an Act of Parliament stand automatically recognized for the purpose of employment to posts and services under the Central Government provided they have been approved by the Distance Education Bureau, University Grants Commission. Accordingly, unless such degrees are recognized for the relevant period when the candidates acquired the qualification, they will not be accepted for the purpose of Educational Qualification. In case of the candidates possessing such degrees/ diplomas/ certificates awarded through Open and Distance Learning mode of education, such candidates shall also produce approval given to the University by the Distance Education Bureau, University Grants Commission for the relevant period at the time of Document Verification.

8.3 As per University Grants Commission (UGC) (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017 published in official Gazette on 23-06-2017, under Part-III (8) (v), the programmes in engineering, medicine, dental, nursing, pharmacy, architecture and physiotherapy etc are not permitted to be offered under Open and Distance Learning mode. However, pursuant to the Hon’ble Supreme Court Order dated 11-03-2019 in MA No. 3092/2018 in W.P. (C) No. 382/2018 titled Mukul Kumar Sharma & others Vs AICTE and others, B. Tech. degree/diploma in Engineering awarded by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to the students who were enrolled up to academic year 2009-10 shall be treated as valid, wherever applicable.

8.4 Document Verification (DV) will be conducted by the User Departments/Organizations after declaration of the final result. Candidates will be required to produce the relevant Certificates such as Mark sheets, Provisional Certificates etc. for completion of 12th Standard or equivalent examination in original as proof of having acquired the minimum educational qualification on or before the stipulated date, when such certificates are sought by Indenting Departments/ Organizations concerned for the purpose of document verification. Otherwise, their candidature will be cancelled.

8.5 The candidates who are able to prove, by documentary evidence, that the result of the qualifying examination was declared on or before the cut-off date and he has been declared passed, will also be considered to meet the educational qualification. It is reiterated that the result of required educational qualification must have been declared by the Board by the specified date. Mere processing of the result by the Board by the crucial cut-off date does not fulfill the EQ requirement.

8.6 Candidates possessing equivalent educational qualification shall also produce relevant Equivalence Certificate from the authorities concerned at the time of Document Verification. However, final decision regarding selection of such candidates will be taken by the User Departments/ Appointing Authorities concerned.

1 Physical Efficiency Test

(i) Criteria for Physical Efficiency Tests are placed as ‘Schedule-I’ of the Notification The Physical Efficiency Tests will be conducted at GREF Centre or respective Recruitment Centre as applicable, by a Board of Officers, detailed by the Headquarters, Director General Border Roads. 2 Physical Standards Region wise requirement of Physical Standards of personnel for recruitment in GREF (Border Roads Organization) is placed as ‘Schedule-II’ of the Notification. 3 (A) Medical Standards The specified Medical Standards are requirement for recruitment of candidates for their service in GREF (BRO) as per their job profile, charter of duties and anticipated deployment, including extreme remote areas, high altitude areas and difficult areas of hilly terrain etc. Medical Standards have been specified in ‘Schedule-III' of the Notification.

(B) Medical Examination & Medical Tests: Medical examination and medical tests will be carried out as per guidelines of this Notification for each provisionally selected candidate. The Medical Examination will be carried out by a Medical Board nominated by HQ DGBR. The guidelines to be followed for conduct of Medical Examination and the procedure for declaring candidates as Temporary or Permanent UNFIT are enumerated in succeeding sub-paras:

(i) After detailed checking of all documents, Officer-In-Charge Recruiting Section will handover medical papers (duly affixed with passport size photograph) of selected candidates to Medical Board of respective Recruitment Centre, including GREF Centre, and the candidates will report as per schedule decided Medical examination of provisionally selected candidates will be carried out by two Medical Officers at each Recruitment Centre including GREF Centre.

(ii) Recruitment Medical Board will examine the medical fitness of the candidates as per guidelines of this Notification.

(iii) Candidates found medically fit or unfit will be informed of their medical result by the Medical Board themselves so that the candidates are clear about their position.

(iv) Where the medical officer needs the opinion of a Specialist, the case will be referred to Military Hospital or any service/ Army Hospitals in proximity of respective Recruitment Centre or GREF Centre Based on the day of the OPD of concerned Specialist, doctor would personally brief the candidate about the conduct of medical examination at Military Hospital and subsequent procedure.

(v) Medical papers in respect of fit and unfit candidates will be given to Recruiting Section/ Mobile Regional Recruitment Team by MI Room after completion of medical examination preferably on the same day of medical examination but not later than 5 days from the date of examination.

(vi) Details about cases referred to Military Hospitals or any Service/ Army Hospitals will also be informed by Medical Board to Recruiting Section simultaneously.

(vii) Referred cases returned by Medical Specialist duly reviewed by concerned Specialist will be disposed of by Regimental Medical Officer expeditiously according to the remarks of Specialist and Recruiting Section be informed simultaneously by Regimental Medical Officer.

(viii) Temporarily Unfit: Candidates declared temporarily UNFIT will be divided in two categories:

(a) Temporarily Unfit due to Medical Reasons: Candidates who are declared Temporary UNFIT due to medical reasons will be informed of their disability in writing by Medical Board and Officer-In-Charge Recruiting or Board of Officer or Mobile Regional Recruitment Team. Such candidates have a right to appeal against the medical examination conducted by the Recruitment Centre Medical Board and such appeal should be made within the period of 60 days from the date of being declared temporarily unfit initially by the Medical Board of Recruitment Centre. Such candidates should report for medical examination by Specialist 05 (five) days in advance with an appeal and will be referred to concerned Specialist of nearest Military Hospital/ Service Hospital on Review Certificate in duplicate. Such candidates will not be required to deposit Rs 40/- as fees for re- medical examination. If such candidates are found UNFIT again on review, no further chance will be given for re-medical examination and their candidature shall stand cancelled automatically. After re-medical examination, if candidates are found FIT, the whole process of induction shall be completed within a period of six months from the date of initial medical examination. In case induction is not completed within a period of six months from the date of initial medical examination, candidature of such a candidate for recruitment shall stand cancelled automatically, where delay is due to acts attributable to the candidate himself.

(b) Temporarily Unfit for being Below Physical Standards: Candidates declared Temporary UNFIT due to physical standards will also be informed of their disability or shortcoming in writing by the Medical Board and Officer-In-Charge Recruiting or Board of Officer or Mobile Regional Recruitment Team. Candidates protesting in writing against Physical measurements will be once again measured by Medical Board of Recruitment Centre in the presence of Commandant or Officer-In- Charge Recruiting in case Medical Examination is carried out at GREF Centre and in the presence of Board of Officers in case it is carried out at Mobile Regional Recruitment Team Centre within 24 hrs of the Medical Examination. Candidates declared Temporary UNFIT for being Below Physical Standards in weight or Chest measurement only will be given a reasonable time not exceeding two months from the date of initial Medical Examination for attaining the desired standards. After re- measurement, if candidate is found FIT the whole process of induction shall be completed within a period of six months from the date of initial medical examination. In case induction is not completed within a period of six months from the date of initial medical examination, candidature of such a candidate for recruitment shall stand cancelled automatically, where delay is due to acts attributable to the candidate himself.

13. Scheme of Examination:

13.1 The details of the Computer Based Examination are mentioned below: Part Subject No. of Questions Maximu m Marks Total Duration I General Intelligence & Reasoning 50 50 2 Hours (with sectional timer of 30 Minutes each for Part I & Part_II and 60 Minutes for Part III) [2 hours and 40 minutes (Part-I -40 minutes, Part-II -40 minutes & Part-III- 80 minutes) for the candidates eligible for scribe as per Para 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 of this Notice II General Awareness 50 50 III English Language and Comprehension 100 100 of examination]

13.2 Question paper will be of Objective Type Multiple Choice only. The questions will be set both in English & Hindi.

13.3 There will be negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Computer Based Examination. Candidates are, therefore, advised to keep this in mind while answering the questions.

13.4 Marks scored by the candidates in Computer Based Examination, if conducted in multiple shifts, will be normalized by using the procedure published by the Commission vide Notice dated 02-06-2025 and such normalized scores will be used to determine final merit and cut-off marks.

13.5 Tentative Answer Keys of Computer Based Examination will be placed on the website of the Commission after the Examination. Candidates may go through the Answer Keys and submit online representations, if any, within the time limit given by the Commission, on payment of Rs.50/- per question which is non-refundable. Representations on the matter received through any other modalities; i.e., letter, application, email, etc. will not be entertained. Representation regarding the Answer Keys will be scrutinized by the Experts before finalizing the Answer Keys and the decision of the Commission in this regard will be final. The Final Answer Keys will be used for processing the result of Computer Based Examination and the same will be uploaded on the website of the Commission after the declaration of result of Computer Based Examination.

13.6 The Commission has published ‘Guidelines regarding Challenge / Objection Management System’ vide its Notice dated 10.04.2026 on its website. The candidates are advised to go through the guidelines carefully as these will be applicable for this Examination.

13.7 There shall be no provision for re-evaluation/ re-checking of scores of any stage/ paper(s) of the Examination. No correspondence in this regard shall be entertained.

14 Indicative Syllabus for Computer Based Mode Examination:

14.1 General Intelligence & Reasoning: It would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. The test will include questions on analogies, similarities and differences, space visualization, problem solving, analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, discriminating observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, non-verbal series etc. The test will also include questions designed to test the candidate’s abilities to deal with abstract ideas and symbols and their relationship, arithmetical computation and other analytical functions.

14.2 General Awareness: Questions will be designed to test the ability of the candidates‟ general awareness of the environment around him and its application to society. Questions will also be designed to test the knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighboring countries especially pertaining to Sports, History, Culture, Geography, Economic scene, General Polity including Indian Constitution, and Scientific Research etc. These questions will be such that they do not require a special study of any discipline.

14.3 For VH candidates of 40% and above visual disability, there will be no component of Maps/Graphs/Diagrams/Statistical Data in the General Intelligence & Reasoning/ General Awareness Paper.

14.4 English Language & Comprehension: In addition to the testing of candidates' understanding of the English Language, its vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms and its correct usage, etc., his/ her writing ability would also be tested.

19. Mode of Selection:

19.1 Minimum qualifying marks in Computer Based Examination, are as follows:

(i) UR: 30%

(ii) OBC/EWS: 25%

(iii) All Other Categories: 20%

19.2 In the online application form, candidate will have to indicate the posts for which they are applying i.e. Stenographer Grade ‘C’ or Stenographer Grade ‘D’ or both.

19.3 Based on the marks scored in the Computer Based Examination, candidates will be shortlisted, category-wise, to appear in the Skill Test(s) for the post(s) they have applied for.

19.4 Skill Test is mandatory but qualifying in nature. The Commission will fix category-wise qualifying standards in the Skill Test for each post. The candidates who qualify the Skill Test will be considered for FRTA/ final selection on the basis of their merit in the Computer Based Examination.

19.5 The modality of First Round of Tentative Allocation (FRTA) under the sliding mechanism has been explained in the Notice(s) dated 03.03.2026 and

08.04.2026 published on the website of the Commission, candidates are advised to go through the same.

19.6 The Commission makes FRTA/final allocation of posts on the basis of the performance of candidates in the Computer Based Examination and merit-cum preferences of Posts/Departments given by the candidates. Once a post is allotted, no change of post will be made by the Commission on the ground of non-fulfillment of any post specific requirements of physical/medical/educational standards or any other requirement. In other words, for example, if a candidate has given higher preference for a post and is selected for that post, in that case, if he/she fails to meet the medical/physical/educational, etc. standards of that post, his/her candidature will be rejected and he/she will not be considered for other preferences.

19.7 SC, ST, OBC, EWS, ESM and PwBD candidates, who are selected on their own merit without relaxed standards, will not be adjusted against the reserved share of vacancies. Such candidates will be accommodated against the general/unreserved vacancies in the post as per their position in the overall merit or vacancies earmarked for their category, whichever is advantageous to them. The reserved vacancies will be filled up separately from amongst the eligible SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwBD candidates.

19.8 SC, ST, OBC, EWS, ESM and PwBD candidate who qualifies on the basis of relaxed standards; viz., age limit, experience or qualifications, permitted number of chances, extended zone of consideration, etc, irrespective of his/her merit position, is to be counted against reserved vacancies and not against un-reserved vacancies. In so far as cases of Ex-Serviceman are concerned, deduction of the military service rendered from the age of ex-servicemen is permissible against the reserved or unreserved posts and such exemption will not be termed as relaxed standards in regard to age. Similarly for PwBD candidates, relaxation of 10 years in upper age limit will not be termed as relaxed standards.

9. How to apply

9.1 Applications must be submitted only in online mode at the new website of SSC Headquarter i.e. https://ssc.gov.in or through my SSC mobile application (which can be downloaded from Google Play Store). For detailed instructions, please refer to Annexure-III and Annexure-IV of this Notice as well as Notice dated 02.06.2025 relating to the mobile app, available on the website of the Commission. Sample proforma of One-time Registration and online Application Forms are attached as Annexure-IIIA and Annexure-IVA

9.2 Last date for submission of online applications is 15-05-2026 (23:00 Hrs).

9.3 Candidates are advised in their own interest to submit online applications much before the closing date and not to wait till the last date to avoid the possibility of disconnection/ inability or failure to login to the SSC website on account of heavy load on the website during the closing days.

9.4 All the candidates who wish to apply in response to this Notice and have not generated their One-Time Registration (OTR) on the new website (https://ssc.gov.in) will be required to do so as the earlier OTR generated on the old website (https://ssc.nic.in) will not be functional for the new website. Subsequent to OTR, the candidates can proceed to fill the application for the examination. Once an OTR has been generated on the new website, it will continue to remain valid for all the examinations to be applied for on the new website. The detailed instructions for OTR are given in Annexure-III to this Notice

9.5 The candidates are advised to opt for Aadhaar Based Authentication, in terms of Aadhaar Policy as published on the website of the Commission, while completing their OTR process. The application(s) of the Candidates who opt for Aadhaar Authentication will not be rejected on the ground that photograph and/or signature uploaded by the candidate are not as per prescribed standards. Such candidates will not be required to produce recent colour photographs, original valid Photo-Identity proof for admission to the examination venue at the time of Computer Based Examination.

9.6 For applying, the candidate is not required to have a pre-existing photograph of himself / herself. The application module has been designed to capture a photograph of the candidate filling up the application form. For this purpose, the candidate has to stand / sit before the camera when prompted by the application module and follow the following instructions while capturing the photograph:

(i) Find a place with good light and plain background.

(ii) Ensure the camera is at eye level before taking the photo.

(iii) Position himself directly in front of the camera and look straight ahead.

(iv) Ensure that his face is fully inside prescribed area delineated by the camera and that it is neither too close nor too far. It should cover the area fully and no part of the face should be outside the area delineated by the camera.

(v) Candidates should not wear a cap, mask or glasses/spectacles while capturing the photo.

9.7 The appearance of a candidate in the examination should be as per the photograph in the application form. The candidates should ensure that the photograph captured is clear, without cap or spectacles, and with a full frontal view. Applications with photographs not in accordance with the instructions are liable to be rejected. In no case should the candidate capture the photographs of his/her pre-existing photograph. All such applications where the photographs of his/her pre-existing photograph is captured will be rejected. However, the application of candidates submitted through Aadhaar Based Authentication process will not be rejected on the aforesaid grounds.