UPSC SO / Steno LDCE Selection Process
Last verified 31 Jul 2026
UPSC SO / Steno LDCE selection runs through the stages below, each of which must be cleared in sequence.
- Written Examination — Paper-I, Paper-II and Paper-III
Exam pattern by stage
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | General Studies and Language | Mixed | As notified | As notified |
| Paper-II | Procedure and Practice — set separately for each cadre category | Descriptive | As notified | As notified |
| Paper-III | Noting, Drafting and Precis Writing | Descriptive | As notified | As notified |
Document verification
UPSC verifies eligibility against original documents only after a candidate has qualified for the Interview or Personality Test. Until that point, admission to every stage is purely provisional — the issue of an e-Admit Card does not mean your candidature has been cleared. A candidate can therefore sit and clear a paper and still be found ineligible later.
Final merit
Merit is prepared from the marks that count for this examination, and posts are allotted by merit-cum-preference against the confirmed vacancies. Ties are broken by rules published by the Commission — typically the marks in the compulsory papers, and where those are equal, seniority in age.