How to Become a Stenographer: Education Qualifications, Scope in India & Salary

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Updated on May 30, 2024 17:23 IST

Stenographer role is to translate a language into a coded form which is popularly known as Shorthand. Stenographers use shorthand and a steno machine to transcribe information. Known as challenging, a stenographer has to do all the work by themselves as there is no technology used here. A stenographer’s job is to be present at every place where spoken words are recorded and documented. With the demand for Stenographers still high, get to know all the details such as the eligibility criteria, selection procedure, scope and salaries offered.

Stenographer course is one of the most popular courses in India. Stenographer performs various important functions. The main responsibilities of a Stenographer is to translate a language into a coded form which is popularly known as Shorthand. Stenographers use shorthand and a steno machine to transcribe information. Known as challenging, a stenographer has to do all the work by themselves as there is no technology used here. A stenographer’s job is to be present at every place where spoken words are recorded and documented.

For example, if you have ever seen a film, where the scene is set in a court. Next to the judge, sits a person with a typewriter typing away every word. Yes, that’s one of the job of a stenographer. Their typing speed is quick and what’s even more fascinating, is that they have to transcribe the language on the spot itself as it is being spoken.

Despite technology playing a large role in our lives, there is still a high demand for Stenographers. Their services are used in many fields such as courtrooms, government offices, in CEO’s offices, politicians, doctors and many more fields. A stenographer’s job is highly rewarding as the demand is high. Let us know more about Stenographer’s role, job, and eligibility and selection procedure.

Stenographer Course: Highlights

Candidates interested to pursue Steonographer course can check the table below to know about the course.

Partuculars	Statistics
Eligibility	For General category candidates, the minimum age limit to pursue Stenographers is 18 years and the maximum age limit is 27 years. For reserved category candidates of SC, ST, OBC, PwD, EWS, and others are eligible to avail the age relaxation criteria as per the governmental rules. For private sector, the minimum age limit is 18 years and the maximum age limit is not fixed.
Average Starting Salary	INR 27,282 per month
Industry	Advertising & Marketing
Job Opportunity	Banking Industry, Court, Media Industry etc

Also Read: Top 10 BA Subjects & Specialisations

Stenographer’s Eligibility Criteria

Before taking up a job, a student needs to have done a course/programme in stenography in order to pursue a job. Student’s need to meet the eligibility criteria before applying for a course which is as follows:

Educational Qualification: The student needs to have passed class 12 from a recognized board (Central/State). The student can be a pass in any stream but should have secured a minimum of 60% in their class 12.
Age: The candidate has to be between the ages of 18 to 27 years. The age limit is set by government offices.

Selection Procedure

Eligible candidates should have a good command over a language. Be it English or Hindi or any other regional language, the student should be efficient. The candidate can join a private training centre to learn what Shorthand is all about. The duration of a course to learn what Shorthand is between 6 months to 1 year. The main aspect which is taken into consideration is the typing speed and efficient way one can type.

If not a private institution, the candidate can join Industrial Training Institutions (ITI) to do a certificate or diploma course in Shorthand and typing. The course duration ranges from 1 year to 1 and a half year. For students to get into ITI’s, the student has to be a Matric pass and should be the age of 17. There are various entrance exams and recruitment exams which are conducted nationally such as SSC Stenographer, which is a recruitment exam which is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission. For more information on SSC Stenographer, candidates can check out the links as mentioned below:

SSC Stenographer Important Dates

SSC Stenographer Application Form

SSC Stenographer Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

After doing a course in shorthand and typing, one can then apply for the job of a stenographer. They can head to courts, meet lawyers or go to private organizations. The SSC, UPSC, State Service Selection Boards, Banking Service Recruitment Boards offer stenographer’s positions.

Stenographer’s Career Information

The job of a stenographer is to transcribe accurately legal and medical procedures for the record. Most stenographers are seen in courtrooms as judges and lawyers need the exact transcript which happens during trials and hearings. There cannot be a single error in the script. The words being typed in the steno machine has to be accurate and efficient. In fact, stenographers learn to type at 225 words per minute so that no word is missed out from the conversation. Individuals have to be efficient in their grammar, punctuations and spellings.

Scope in India

The scope in India for Stenographer’s job is high as government offices and private organisations require efficient services. Despite technology advancing in the field of translation, there is still a human touch which works more efficient than Artificial Intelligence. Lawyers need stenographers as they help largely in courtrooms and while meeting witnesses and dealing with clients. Also, stenographers that get to land a government job, the rest of the future is taken care of with tenure.

Also Read: Top 10 BA Subjects & Specialisations

Stenography Salary

According to Payscale, as a fresher, a candidate draws a salary from the range of INR 10,000 to INR 15,000, depending on the efficiency and speed. In government departments, a fresher can draw nearly INR 8,000 per month with other facilities. Be it a government or private sectors. Here is the pay by experience for Stenographers which is as follows:

Experience	Pay Scale (In INR)
1 Year	2,40,000 (Per Annum)
1 to 4 Years	3,00,000 to 3,60,000 (Per Annum)
5 to 9 Years	4,80,000 to 6,60,000 (Per Annum)

However, that’s the starting scale. As one picks up experience, speed, accuracy, a good CV eventually attracts lucrative offers.

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