UPSC Combined Stenographers LDCE 2022 2023 and 2024
UPSC has notified the Combined Stenographers' (Grade-'B'/Grade-'I') Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for the Select List years 2022, 2023 and 2024. It is open only to eligible departmental candidates in the listed Stenographers' services. Apply online on upsconline.nic.in by 6 October 2026, 6:00 PM, and have the printed copy forwarded through the Cadre Controlling Authority to reach UPSC by 23 October 2026. The examination is on 12 and 13 December 2026. This is not SSC Stenographer or an open 2026 recruitment.
Apply Online Now âComplete Details
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification | 16 September 2026 | Done |
| Online Application (upsconline.nic.in) | 16 September 2026 to 6 October 2026 (till 6:00 PM) | Open |
| Printed copy to reach UPSC through the Cadre Controlling Authority | By 23 October 2026 | Upcoming |
| e-Admit Card | Last working day of the week preceding the exam, as per the notice | Tba |
| Written Examination | 12 & 13 December 2026 | Upcoming |
| Representation on Question Paper & Provisional Answer Keys | 3rd day to 7th day (6:00 PM) after the exam date | Upcoming |
Who can apply
Only departmental candidates in the services listed in paragraph 5 (see Vacancy Details). The notice says the examination is held under the Rules published by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Gazette of India dated 16 September 2026. Year-specific service eligibility, qualification and age conditions are set by those Rules and are not restated in the examination notice.
- Check your eligibility in the Notice and Rules before applying. UPSC says the conditions cannot be relaxed.
- Indicate clearly in the application the category you are competing for.
- Your Ministry/Department and the Cadre Controlling Authority verify eligibility before forwarding your application.
Services covered (paragraph 5)
| Category | Service |
|---|---|
| Category IV | Private Secretary Grade of the Central Secretariat Stenographers' Service |
| Category V | Private Secretary Grade of the Stenographers' Cadre of the Indian Foreign Service, Branch 'B' |
| Category VI | Private Secretary of the Armed Forces Headquarters Stenographers' Service |
| Category VII | Grade-'B'/Private Secretary Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers' Service |
| Category IX | Private Secretary Grade in Employees' State Insurance Corporation |
Select List years: 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Vacancies: not finalized. UPSC says the concerned Cadre Controlling Authorities have not yet finalized the number of vacancies, so no figure is given in the notice.
Stages named in the notice
- Written Examination (objective-type papers carry negative marking for wrong answers).
- Evaluation of Service Record.
Admission at every stage is provisional and subject to meeting the prescribed eligibility conditions. The written examination for the Stenographers' Grade LDCE 2022, 2023 and 2024 is common with the SO LDCE 2026. The notice does not describe a shorthand or skill-test standard.
Tie-breaking order (paragraph 15)
- Higher written total.
- Higher marks in Paper-II (Procedure of Practice in the Govt. of India Secretariat and attached Offices and General Financial and Service Rules) and Paper-III (Noting and Drafting, Precis Writing) together.
- Higher marks in Paper-III.
- Candidate senior in age.
- Any remaining tie at the Commission's discretion.
Marks are rounded off to two decimal digits at all stages.
Exam-day rules
- Centres: Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Nagpur. No change of centre is entertained.
- Entry closes 30 minutes before each session. Face authentication is mandatory.
- Carry your official Identity Card along with the e-Admit Card.
- Representations on question papers and provisional answer keys: from the 3rd day after the exam date to 6:00 PM on the 7th day, online only.
How to apply
- Read the notification and governing rules, and confirm eligibility with your departmental establishment section.
- Apply online at upsconline.nic.in (One-Time Registration/URN, Common Application Form, then the examination-specific module) between 16.09.2026 and 06.10.2026, 6:00 PM. Indicate the category you are competing for.
- Take the printed copy of the online application by 06.10.2026.
- Submit the complete printed copy to your Ministry/Department. After verification and certification it goes to the Cadre Controlling Authority, with a copy endorsed to UPSC.
- The CCA sends it to the Under Secretary (E-VI), Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110069, to reach by 23.10.2026. Late applications are summarily rejected.
UPSC helpline (application window): 011-24041001 or 011-40303444, email upscsoap@nic.in, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on working days from 16.09.2026 to 06.10.2026.
Full Details
Current Status at a Glance
- Current status: Online application window open until Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 6:00 PM.
- Authority: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Notice F.No.9/01/2026-E.IB, dated 16.09.2026.
- Exam years covered: 2022, 2023 and 2024. The examination itself is held on 12 and 13 December 2026.
- Next stage: departmental forwarding of the printed application (by 23 October 2026), then the e-Admit Card and the examination.
- Last verified: 1 October 2026, about 07:15 IST, against the UPSC examination notifications listing and all nine pages of the official notice PDF. No corrigendum or extension was listed at that time.
- Candidate action: Confirm with your department which year and category you are eligible for, complete the online form on upsconline.nic.in, and arrange departmental forwarding of the printed copy.
Why the exam years are 2022, 2023 and 2024 when the exam is in 2026
The years 2022, 2023 and 2024 are the years of the Select List to which recruitment is being made (paragraph 5 of the notice). The notification, application window and examination all fall in 2026. Do not read this as a 2026 Stenographers exam, and do not treat it as open Stenographer recruitment for 2026.
This is a UPSC limited departmental competitive examination for serving staff in the listed Stenographers’ cadres. It is not the SSC Stenographer Grade C & D examination, which is an open recruitment run by the Staff Selection Commission.
Who should apply and who should not
Only departmental candidates in the services listed in paragraph 5 should consider applying (see the Vacancy Details tab for the full category list). These are Private Secretary or Grade-‘B’ level categories in the Central Secretariat, Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’, Armed Forces Headquarters and Railway Board Secretariat Stenographers’ services and in ESIC. Graduates and employees outside these cadres should not apply on the basis of this notice.
The notice says the examination is held under the Rules published by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Gazette of India dated 16 September 2026. Year-specific service eligibility, qualification and age conditions are set by those Rules and are not restated in the examination notice. Confirm them with your establishment section before you apply.
Career Growth and Work Profile
The categories in this notice lead to Private Secretary or Grade-‘B’ level posts in the named Stenographers’ services. Day-to-day duties, posting and later progression depend on your own cadre and its service rules. This page does not give a promotion date, pay figure or pension promise, because the notice does not state them.
Historical Cut Off Trends
A verified comparison of past cut-off marks for this examination is not available on this page. Any figures added later must cite the official UPSC document for the exact exam year, category and stage. No safe-score estimate is offered.
Post Specific Selection Nuances
- Common written examination: UPSC says the written examination for the Stenographers’ Grade LDCE 2022, 2023 and 2024 and the SO LDCE 2026 will be common.
- Service record: the notice refers to a written examination and an evaluation of service record. Admission at every stage is provisional and depends on meeting the eligibility conditions.
- Forwarding is required: only candidates whose printed application is forwarded by the Cadre Controlling Authority will be considered.
- Tie-breaking: equal final marks are resolved by the written total, then Paper-II and Paper-III together, then Paper-III, then age.
- Shorthand or skill test: the examination notice does not describe a shorthand or skill-test standard, or say whether any such test is qualifying or counts towards merit. Check the DoPT Rules dated 16 September 2026 for these details.
- Year selection: the notice asks candidates to state the category they are competing for. It does not explain how to choose between the 2022, 2023 and 2024 years; follow the Rules and your department’s guidance.
Common mistakes
- Selecting the wrong examination on the UPSC portal.
- Using the Section Officers’ LDCE 2026 notice in place of this Stenographers notice.
- Reading 2026 as the Stenographers exam year. The notice covers the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Select List years.
- Relying on eligibility from another cycle of this examination.
- Treating the online submission as complete without departmental forwarding.
Source
Official source: UPSC examination notice “Combined Stenographers’ (Grade-‘B’/Grade-‘I’) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, 2022, 2023 & 2024” dated 16.09.2026 (Notif-CmbSteno-LDCE-2022-2024-Engl-160926.pdf on upsc.gov.in, 9 pages, scanned). Dates were also confirmed on the UPSC examination notifications listing. Last verified 1 October 2026.
Related: Latest government jobs · Exam Calendar
Important Links
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
2022, 2023 and 2024. These are the Select List years; the examination itself is held on 12 and 13 December 2026.
No. This is a UPSC limited departmental examination for serving staff in specified Stenographers' services. SSC Stenographer Grade C & D is a separate open recruitment by the Staff Selection Commission.
Only departmental candidates in the categories listed in paragraph 5 of the notice who meet the DoPT Rules dated 16 September 2026. Confirm your eligibility with your department.
Online applications close on 6 October 2026 at 6:00 PM. The printed copy must reach UPSC through the Cadre Controlling Authority by 23 October 2026.
Yes. Submit the printed copy to your Ministry or Department, which sends it through the Cadre Controlling Authority. Only applications forwarded by the CCA are considered.
The notice refers to a written examination and an evaluation of service record. The written examination is common with the SO LDCE 2026. The notice does not describe a shorthand or skill-test standard; check the DoPT Rules.
On upsc.gov.in as Notif-CmbSteno-LDCE-2022-2024-Engl-160926.pdf. It is linked on this page, along with an exact copy in the Downloads section.