The High Court of Delhi released its official recruitment notification on 5th September 2026 for 150 vacancies — 117 Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) and 33 Personal Assistant (PA) posts — both prestigious Group B court-support roles built around English shorthand, typing, and confidential judicial documentation work.
Unlike most government exams that rely purely on objective MCQs, this recruitment tests a genuinely different skill set — dictation speed, transcription accuracy, and descriptive writing — across four distinct stages.
This guide is built directly from the official exam pattern document and covers every stage in detail, along with eligibility, salary, and a realistic preparation strategy.
Delhi High Court PA/SPA Recruitment 2026 — Quick Overview
Before the detailed stage-wise pattern, here’s the recruitment’s basic shape in one place — useful for orientation, not preparation detail (that comes further below).
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | High Court of Delhi |
| Posts | Senior Personal Assistant (SPA), Personal Assistant (PA) |
| Total Vacancies | 150 (SPA: 117 · PA: 33) |
| Post Nature | Group B |
| Application Window | 15 September 2026 – 5 October 2026 |
| Selection Stages | English Typing Test → English Shorthand Test → Main (Descriptive) Examination → Interview |
| Posting Location | New Delhi |
| Official Website | delhihighcourt.nic.in |
Delhi High Court PA/SPA Eligibility Criteria 2026
This section is distinct from the exam pattern below — it covers who can apply, not what’s tested.
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Graduate degree from a recognised University (either post) |
| English Shorthand Speed (SPA) | 110 words per minute |
| English Shorthand Speed (PA) | 100 words per minute |
| English Typing Speed (both posts) | 40 words per minute on computer |
| Age Limit | 18 – 32 Years (as on 1 January 2026) |
| Date of Birth Range | Born between 2 January 1994 and 1 January 2008 |
Note the shorthand speed gap between the two posts — SPA demands 110 w.p.m. against PA’s 100 w.p.m., a 10% difference that translates into meaningfully tighter time pressure during the dictation-transcription stage. Candidates should honestly assess their current shorthand speed against their target post before applying.
Delhi High Court PA/SPA Vacancy Breakup 2026
| Post | Total Vacancies | PwBD Reserved |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) | 117 | 7 |
| Personal Assistant (PA) | 33 | 3 |
| Total | 150 | 10 |
Important: there is no General category vacancy under the Personal Assistant (PA) post in this specific notification — all 33 PA vacancies fall under reserved and PwBD categories. General category candidates should specifically target the SPA post in this cycle. Every exam component, including for candidates claiming disability reservation, is compulsory — there are no exemptions given the role’s dependence on fast, accurate transcription.
Delhi High Court PA/SPA Selection Process — Complete 4-Stage Structure
Both SPA and PA follow an identical 4-stage structure, differing only in specific speed and word-count thresholds. This is the core of the exam pattern, sourced directly from the official notification.
- Stage I — English Typing Test (Qualifying)
- Stage II — English Shorthand Test (Scored, counts toward merit)
- Stage III — Main (Descriptive) Examination (Scored, counts toward merit)
- Stage IV — Interview (Scored, counts toward merit)
Critical detail: the final merit list is prepared by adding marks from Stage II + Stage III + Stage IV only. Stage I (English Typing Test) is purely qualifying — you must clear it to advance, but strong typing speed itself earns you no additional merit marks. Your shorthand and descriptive writing performance is what actually builds your rank.
Stage I — English Typing Test (Qualifying)
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration | 10 minutes |
| Minimum Speed Required | 40 words per minute (both SPA & PA) |
| Speed Calculation Method | “Characters with space” criterion |
| Permissible Mistakes | 3% of total words typed |
| Nature | Qualifying only — no merit weightage |
Only candidates who clear this stage advance to Stage II (English Shorthand Test). Since accuracy is capped at a strict 3% error margin, this is less about raw speed alone and more about maintaining clean, error-free typing under time pressure.
Stage II — English Shorthand Test (Scored)
| Particulars | Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) | Personal Assistant (PA) |
|---|---|---|
| Dictation Speed | 110 w.p.m. | 100 w.p.m. |
| Passage Length | 550 words | 500 words |
| Dictation Duration | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Transcription Time | 45 minutes (on computer, no extra reading time) | 45 minutes (on computer, no extra reading time) |
| Total Marks | 120 Marks | 110 Marks |
| Permissible Mistakes | 5% of dictated words = 27.5 mistakes | 5% of dictated words = 25 mistakes |
Mistake Penalty Structure (Applies to Both Posts)
- Full mistake: 4 marks deducted
- Half (½) mistake: 2 marks deducted
- At the maximum permissible mistake count (27.5 for SPA / 25 for PA), a candidate scores just 10 marks — barely surviving the stage
- Beyond the permissible limit: automatic disqualification, regardless of performance in other stages
Two Attempts, Best Score Counts
Every candidate gets two opportunities to attempt the shorthand dictation-transcription test, and the better of the two scores is what counts toward final merit. This built-in safety net is worth using deliberately — treat your first attempt as a genuine attempt, not a throwaway practice run, but don’t let one weak attempt define your outcome either.
Do the math on what this stage actually rewards: scoring near the maximum permissible mistake count still only nets 10 out of 120 (SPA) or 110 (PA) marks — a razor-thin pass. Real competitive scores come from staying well under half the permissible mistake count, which means shorthand accuracy, not just raw dictation-keeping-up speed, is what separates strong candidates from merely-qualifying ones.
Stage III — Main (Descriptive) Examination (Scored)
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Essay (250 words) | 40 |
| Letter Writing | 15 |
| Grammar & Comprehension Passage | 25 |
| Translation — Hindi to English | 10 |
| Translation — English to Hindi | 10 |
| Total | 100 Marks |
Duration: 120 minutes. Format: identical structure for both SPA and PA posts — the difficulty and content differ in practice, but the marks breakdown is the same.
Minimum Passing Marks — Stage III
| Category | Minimum Passing Marks |
|---|---|
| General Category | 50% (50 out of 100) |
| Reserved Category (including PwBD) | 45% (45 out of 100) |
This is the only stage where the notification specifies a distinct General-vs-Reserved passing threshold — worth keeping in mind since it’s a meaningfully high bar (half marks) for a descriptive, subjectively-evaluated paper. Only candidates clearing this threshold advance to Stage IV (Interview).
Stage IV — Interview (Scored)
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Maximum Marks | 15 |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | None specified |
Unlike Stage III, the Interview carries no minimum qualifying threshold — every mark earned here goes directly into your final merit score without a pass/fail gate. Even a modest interview score still contributes positively rather than risking disqualification, which is a meaningfully different dynamic from Stage II and III.
Final Merit Calculation & Tie-Breaking Rules
How Final Merit Is Calculated
| Post | Stage II | Stage III | Stage IV | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPA | 120 | 100 | 15 | 235 |
| PA | 110 | 100 | 15 | 225 |
For SPA, Stage II (Shorthand) alone accounts for roughly 51% of the total merit-deciding marks (120 of 235) — making it the single heaviest-weighted stage in the entire process, ahead of even the 100-mark descriptive paper.
Tie-Breaking Sequence
In case of a tie in final marks, the following criteria are applied in strict order until the tie is resolved:
- Marks obtained in Stage II (English Shorthand Test)
- Marks obtained in Stage III (Main Descriptive Examination)
- Marks obtained in Stage IV (Interview)
- Date of Birth — the older candidate is given preference
Application Fee & Salary 2026
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹1,500 |
| SC / ST / Persons with Disabilities | ₹1,300 |
Salary & Pay Scale (7th CPC)
| Post | Pay Level | Pay Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) | Level 8 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 |
| Personal Assistant (PA) | Level 7 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 |
Both posts carry standard central government allowances on top of basic pay — Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance (at Delhi/metro rates), and Transport Allowance.
How to Prepare for Delhi HC PA/SPA 2026 — Stage-Wise Strategy
Stage I — English Typing
Since this is purely qualifying, aim to comfortably exceed 40 w.p.m. rather than hitting it exactly — a buffer protects you against exam-day nerves eating into your margin. Practice on a standard keyboard layout regularly to build muscle memory, and pay close attention to accuracy given the strict 3% mistake cap.
Stage II — Shorthand (the highest-stakes stage)
Given that this single stage carries roughly half your total merit-deciding marks, dedicate the largest share of your preparation time here. Practice dictation-taking at speeds slightly above your target (120+ w.p.m. for SPA aspirants, 110+ w.p.m. for PA aspirants) so the actual exam feels comparatively manageable. Since the penalty structure punishes mistakes heavily (4 marks per full error), prioritise accuracy in your outline-taking over pushing raw speed to its absolute limit. Use both attempt opportunities strategically — don’t hold back on your first attempt hoping to “save” your best effort for the second.
Stage III — Descriptive Examination
Practice timed essay writing (250 words) and formal/official letter writing regularly, since these two components alone carry 55 of the paper’s 100 marks. For the Grammar & Comprehension section, work through varied passage types under time pressure. For Translation, build bidirectional fluency — Hindi-to-English and English-to-Hindi require genuinely different skill practice, not just knowing one direction well.
Stage IV — Interview
Since there’s no qualifying threshold here, treat it as a pure opportunity to add marks rather than a stage to fear — prepare to discuss your background, general awareness, and communication skills confidently, since the absence of a pass/fail bar means composed, steady performance is rewarded without the pressure of a hard cutoff.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-investing in Stage I typing speed beyond what’s needed to comfortably qualify — since it carries zero merit weight, time is better spent on Stage II shorthand accuracy.
- Prioritising raw shorthand speed over accuracy — given the steep 4-marks-per-mistake penalty, a slightly slower but more accurate transcription often scores better than a faster, error-prone one.
- Treating the second shorthand attempt as optional — since the better of two attempts counts, skipping or half-heartedly attempting either one wastes a genuine scoring opportunity.
- Neglecting Hindi-to-English or English-to-Hindi translation practice — many candidates are naturally stronger in one direction and under-prepare the other, despite both carrying equal marks.
- Applying for PA (General category) unaware that no general vacancy exists under this specific notification — general category candidates should target SPA instead.
- Underestimating Stage III’s 50%/45% passing threshold — this is a genuinely demanding bar for a descriptive paper, and candidates should practice under realistic timed conditions rather than assuming familiarity with essay/letter writing is sufficient.
Delhi High Court PA/SPA Syllabus 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How many stages are there in the Delhi HC PA/SPA selection process?
4 stages — English Typing Test (qualifying), English Shorthand Test, Main (Descriptive) Examination, and Interview.
Q2: Does the English Typing Test count toward final merit?
No. Stage I is purely qualifying — only Stage II, III, and IV marks are added to build the final merit list.
Q3: What is the required shorthand speed for SPA and PA?
110 words per minute for Senior Personal Assistant, and 100 words per minute for Personal Assistant.
Q4: How many mistakes are permissible in the shorthand test?
5% of the total dictated words — 27.5 mistakes for SPA (550-word passage) and 25 mistakes for PA (500-word passage). Exceeding this results in disqualification.
Q5: How many attempts are given for the shorthand test?
Two attempts — the better of the two scores is considered for merit.
Q6: What is the minimum passing mark in the Main Descriptive Examination?
50% for General category candidates, and 45% for Reserved category (including PwBD) candidates.
Q7: Is there a minimum qualifying mark in the Interview?
No. The Interview (15 marks) has no minimum qualifying threshold — all marks earned go directly into final merit.
Q8: How many total vacancies are there in this 2026 notification?
150 vacancies — 117 for Senior Personal Assistant and 33 for Personal Assistant.
Q9: What is the salary for Delhi HC SPA and PA?
SPA: ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 (Level 8). PA: ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 (Level 7), both under the 7th CPC.
Q10: How are ties in final merit resolved?
In order: Stage II (Shorthand) marks, then Stage III (Descriptive) marks, then Stage IV (Interview) marks, and finally, the older candidate by date of birth.
This article is based on the official Delhi High Court PA/SPA 2026 Exam Pattern & Syllabus document and the official recruitment notification released 5 September 2026. Candidates should cross-verify exact dates and any updates against the official notification on delhihighcourt.nic.in before finalising their preparation plan.