SSC Stenographer Exam Analysis 2026 – Day 1 Review, Difficulty Level & Expected Cut-Off

SSC is conducting the Stenographer Grade ‘C’ and ‘D’ Computer Based Exam (CBE) from 9 to 15 September 2026, in 3 shifts every day. The first shift of Day 1 (9 September) is already over, and candidates who appeared have shared their feedback on the paper. Since SSC does not allow social media pages to publish exact questions asked in the exam, this analysis is based only on general candidate feedback, aimed at helping those whose exams are still coming up.

SSC Steno Exam Analysis 2026 – Overview Table

Day 1 (9 September) Difficulty Level

Since SSC has not released any official difficulty breakdown for this cycle, the table below is purely based on feedback shared by candidates after their exam.

Candidates felt Reasoning and English were manageable within the time limit, while General Awareness had a slightly tougher feel due to current affairs based questions. Overall, the paper was rated Easy to Moderate by most test-takers on Day 1.

SSC Stenographer Shift Timings 2026

The exam is being held in 3 shifts every day from 9 to 15 September. Here are the shift timings:

Candidates appearing in later shifts should reach their exam centre well before the reporting time, as latecomers may not be allowed inside.

SSC Stenographer Exam Pattern 2026

The exam carries a total of 200 marks, and there is negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer.

Note: Each section has a separate sectional time limit, so candidates cannot shift extra time from one section to another.

Important Note On Exam Analysis

SSC has clearly instructed that no institute, coaching centre, or social media page should publish the exact questions asked in the exam. Because of this rule, exact topic-wise question breakdowns (like how many questions came from History, Polity, or specific Reasoning topics) cannot be shared this year. Candidates should treat this analysis as a general guide only, based on overall candidate feedback, and not as an exact reproduction of the paper.

SSC Steno Exam-Day Based Question Papers 2026

For candidates whose exam is still pending, memory-based practice papers for Day 1 are available for download, along with a common link for the remaining exam days.

SSC Stenographer Expected Cut-Off Marks 2026

Exact expected cut-off cannot be calculated this year since a full topic-wise exam analysis is not available due to SSC’s restriction. However, for candidates’ reference, here is the previous year’s (2025) final cut-off marks category-wise:

Note: These are last year’s (2025) cut-off marks, shared only as a reference point. The 2026 cut-off will depend on this year’s overall difficulty level, number of candidates, and total vacancies (1,275), and will be released by SSC only after all shifts and days of the exam are completed.

What Candidates Should Do Now

• Those whose exam is in upcoming shifts should stay calm and revise formulas, rules, and current affairs one last time
• Focus more time on General Awareness, since it was reported slightly tougher than the other two sections
• Attempt Reasoning and English first if comfortable, since these were rated Easy to Moderate
• Do not rely on any unofficial “leaked question” claims circulating on social media — SSC strictly monitors this and action can be taken against candidates found sharing or seeking such content
• Keep checking the official website for any official notice regarding exam conduct or extension of dates

What Happens After The Exam

• SSC will release the provisional answer key after all shifts of all days are completed
• Candidates will get a window to raise objections against the answer key
• Final answer key and result will be prepared based on normalization (since exam is held in multiple shifts)
• Candidates who qualify the CBE will be called for the Shorthand Skill Test (dictation and transcription)

FAQs

Q1. How many shifts are there each day in SSC Stenographer 2026 exam?
3 shifts per day, from 9 to 15 September 2026.

Q2. What was the overall difficulty level on Day 1 (9 September)?
Easy to Moderate, based on candidate feedback.

Q3. Which section was toughest on Day 1?
General Awareness was reported as Moderate, slightly tougher than Reasoning and English.

Q4. What is the total number of vacancies in this cycle?
1,275 vacancies for Grade C and Grade D posts combined.

Q5. Can exact questions asked in the exam be shared?
No, SSC has prohibited sharing exact questions from the exam. Only general feedback-based analysis can be shared.

Q6. What is last year’s cut-off for reference?
UR category cut-off was around 142.43 (Grade C) and 132.31 (Grade D) in 2025; other category-wise figures are given in the table above.

Q7. What is the next stage after the CBE?
Candidates who qualify will be called for the Shorthand Skill Test (dictation and transcription).

Important Links

• SSC Stenographer 2026 Official Notification PDF: [Download PDF]
• Day 1 (9 September) Memory-Based Question Paper (English/Hindi): [Download PDF]
• SSC Official Website: ssc.gov.in