UPSC conducts the Combined SO/Steno Exam for vacancies notified by various departments from time to time. UPSC conducted this Exam in 2105, for Section officers and Stenographers, a Limited Departmental Competitive Exam (LDCE) which is a GRADE ‘B’/GRADE ‘I’) post, in October 2015. The result of the written exam/ Shorthand Test was declared in January 2021, while the final result was declared in April after the evaluation of the service record of the selected candidates. According to the latest Exam Calendar released by UPSC the exam notification with details for S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE will be released on 15.09.2021 while the Exam is scheduled for 05.10.2021.
The following details are as per the notification last released in 2015 and will be updated, if necessary as soon as the latest notification is released by UPSC in September 2021.
Scheme of exam
| Event | Date |
|---|
| Release of notification | 15.09.2021 |
| Window For Filling Online Application | - |
| Date of Exam | 05.10.2021 |
| Release of Admit Card | 3 weeks before Exam Date |
| Declaration of Result | - |
Centers for examination: Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Nagpur
How to Apply
Candidates must apply Online by using the link given on the website www.upsc.gov.in well within the Specified window for Application.
Candidates should ensure that all columns of the Online Application Form are filled correctly.
APPLICATION FORM has seven modules (Personal, Educational Information, Parental Information, Employment Information, Service Preferences, and Final Submission)
After completing and clicking the submission button, you will get a message on your screen, mentioning your name and email that you have been registered and your password has been sent to your e-mail address. Please note down your password.
Printout of the complete online application form must be submitted for verification to the candidate’s respective department which will then be routed through their Head of Department/Head of Office to UPSC. This process has a deadline too.
The examination is conducted in two parts i.e.
Part I : This is a written exam of 500 marks which consists of 2 objective type papers and 1 subjective paper and a shorthand Writing test. Details are given in the table below
| Exam | Syllabus | Max. Marks | Duration |
|---|
| Paper 1 (objective type) | General Studies & General Knowledge of Constitution of India and Machinery of Government, Practice, and Procedures in Parliament and Knowledge of RTI Act, 2005. | 150 Negative Marking of .33 | 2 hours |
| Paper 2 (Objective type ) | Procedure and Practice in the Govt. of India Secretariat and attached offices and General Financial and Service Rules duly taking into account the requirement of relevant categories of services. | 150 (Negative Marking of .33) | 2 hours. |
| Paper 3 (Subjective type) | Noting and Drafting, Precis writing. | 200 | 3 hours |
| Shorthand Test Only for category s IV, V, VI, VII and IX | Dictation in Hindi or English at 100 w.p.m. Candidates will be required to transcribe their shorthand notes on Computers (PCs) within 40 to 55 minutes at the center | (Qualifying) | 10 min. |
Note: All the three question papers/test booklets will be set both in Hindi and English
Any change in Syllabus for the 2021 exam will be updated as soon as fresh notification is released.
Part II
This Phase consists of Evaluation of Service Record of the candidate where he will be marked out of 100 marks and those marks will be included in deciding the final rank. A minimum of 40 % Score in this part is required to be considered for ranking.
The Total Marks of Part I & II of the Exam will be 600 (i.e. 500+100)
Eligibility Criteria
| Recruitment Post Category | Current Service/ who is eligible | Minimum Requirements |
|---|
| Category I: Section Officers’ Grade of the Central Secretariat Service Vacancy:- | Assistants’ Grade of the Central Secretariat Service and Personal Assistants’ Grade (Stenographer Grade C) of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service | Not less than 5 years approved service and shall also have earned 4 annual performance appraisal reports in Assistants’ Grade of the Central Secretariat Service or Personal Assistants’ Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service. Personal Assistants of CSSS shall possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized university. |
| Category II: Section Officers’ Grade (Integrated Grade II & III) of the General Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ Vacancy:- | Grade IV of the General Cadre, Grade II of the Stenographer Cadre, and Grade II of the Cypher Sub Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ | Not less than 5 years’ approved and continuous service in Grade IV or in Grade II of Stenographers’ cadre or in Grade II of the Cypher Sub Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ or in two or all the above grades |
| Category III: Section Officers’ Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Service Vacancy: - | Assistants’ Grade of Railway Board Secretariat service and Grade C of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ service and Grade C of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ Service | Not less than 5 years’ approved and continuous service in Assistants’ Grade of Railway Board Secretariat service or in the Grade C/ Grade II of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ Service |
| Category IV: Private Secretary Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service Vacancy:- | Personal Assistant of the Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service | Not less than 3 years’ approved and continuous service on Personal Assistants’ Grade of Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service and shall possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized university. |
| Category V: Grade I of the Stenographers’ Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ Vacancy:- | Grade II of the Stenographers’ cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ | Not less than 5 years’ approved and continuous service in the Grade II of the Stenographers’ cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ |
| Category VI: Grade ‘A & ‘B’ merged of the Armed Forces Headquarters Stenographers’ Service Vacancy:- | Grade C of Armed Forces HQRS. Stenographers’ Service | Not less than 3 years’ approved and continuous service in the Grade II/ Grade C of Armed Forces HQRS. Stenographers’ Service |
| Category VII: Grade ‘B’ of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ Service Vacancy:- | Grade C of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ Service | Not less than 5 years’ approved and continuous service in the Grade II/ Grade C of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ Service |
| Category VIII: Section Officers’ Grade of the Intelligence Bureau Vacancy:- | Assistants’ Grade of I.B. Stenographers’ Service Grade II of I.B. | Permanent/ regularly appointed temporary assistants/ Steno of Gr. II (P.As) of the I.B. with not less than 4 years’ approved and continuous service in case of Officers appointed in the grades on the basis of Competitive Exam or LDCE as the case may be, provided that the exam should have been held not less than 5 years before the crucial date, or not less than 5 years of approved and continuous service in the case of Officers appointed in the grades on the basis of seniority in their respective feeder grades as on the crucial date of the examination year. |
| Category IX: Private Secretary Grade in Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Vacancy:- | Private Secretary in Employees’ State Insurance Corp. | Not less than 3 years’ approved and continuous service in Personal Assistants Grade in Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. |
Note: the Crucial Date for Determining the above-mentioned eligibility will be updated after the release of fresh notification
Important points to Remember
Candidates can answer the Noting and Drafting, Precis Writing paper either in Hindi (Devanagari) or in English and the same must be mentioned in the online application form. If a medium other than the one indicated by the candidate in the application form is used to write the answer in the examination, the paper of such candidates will not be evaluated. Candidates answering the paper in Hindi may give the English version within brackets of the description of the technical terms, if any, in addition to the Hindi version.
A candidate who is eligible for more than one Category of Service and wishes to compete for both need fill in only one application
Deduction of upto 5% of the maximum marks in the written subject will be made for illegible handwriting.
Candidates should use only the international form of Indian numerals (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) while answering Paper - III.
Candidates admitted to the examination will be required to produce their official Identity Card at the time of appearing in the Examination along with the e-Admission Certificate.
Syllabus
PAPER – I
The paper will cover subjects of interest and importance in the present day. Questions will be set to test knowledge of the broad salient features of the Five Year Plans, Indian Economy, and major Developmental Schemes as also intelligence awareness of current affairs both national and international.
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 inter se.
RTI Act, 2005.
PAPER - II
This paper is intended to be an intensive and detailed test in methods and procedures of work in the Government of India Secretariat and attached offices. Detailed knowledge of
General Financial and Service Rules viz., Conduct Rules, Leave Rules, TA Rules, etc. will be tested
for Category I, IV, 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 official purposes 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).
- The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules.
- The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
- 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).
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 officials purpose of the Union issued by the Min. of Home Affairs.
- Fundamental and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P. & T’s compilation, Chaudhury’s compilation, Swamy’s compilation).
- The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules.
- The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.
- 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.
- Assisted Medical Attendance Schemes.
- Indian Foreign Service (Conduct and Discipline) rules
for Category III & VII
- Manual of Office Procedure issued by the Min. of Railways (Railway Board).
- Handbook of orders regarding the use of Hindi for official purposes of the Union issued by the Min. of Home Affairs.
- Indian Railway Admn. and Finance (excluding Chapters V, VI, VIII & IX).
- Indian Railway Financial Code Vol. I (excluding Chapter II and VI).
- Indian Railway Establishment Code Vol. I.
- The Railway Services (Conduct) Rules, 1966.
- The Railway Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rule, 1968.
for Category VI
- Manual of office procedure (latest edition).
- Notes on office procedure issued by the Institute of Secretarial Training and Management.
- Handbook of orders regarding use of Hindi for official purpose of the Union issued by the Ministry of Home
Affairs.
- Fundamental and Supplementary Rules (A.G.P.&T’s compilation, Chaudhury’s compilation, Swamy’s compilation).
- The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules.
- The Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
- The Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.
- Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules.
- Financial Regulations Part I (Revised Edition).
PAPER – III
Candidates are required to prepare notes and drafts on specific
problems and précis from a passage.
