The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for the Combined Section Officers’ (Grade-‘B’) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination 2026 and the Combined Stenographers’ (Grade-‘B’/Grade-‘I’) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. Online applications are open from 16 September 2026 to 6 October 2026 up to 6:00 PM, and the examination is scheduled for 12 and 13 December 2026. This article covers complete details of UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026, including cadres covered, eligibility, exam pattern and important dates.
UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Names | Combined Section Officers’ (Grade-‘B’) LDCE 2026 and Combined Stenographers’ (Grade-‘B’/Grade-‘I’) LDCE 2022, 2023 and 2024 |
| Notice Number (Section Officers’) | F.No.9/02/2026-E.IB dated 16.09.2026 |
| Total Vacancies | Not yet finalized |
| Application Start Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Application Last Date | 6 October 2026 (till 6:00 PM) |
| Exam Dates | 12 and 13 December 2026 |
| Category | Latest Jobs |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
About UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026
The Limited Departmental Competitive Examination is conducted by UPSC for promotion of serving government employees to Grade-‘B’ posts in specified central government services. This notification covers two separate examinations conducted together, namely the Combined Section Officers’ (Grade-‘B’) LDCE for the year 2026, and the Combined Stenographers’ (Grade-‘B’/Grade-‘I’) LDCE covering the backlog years 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The relevant recruitment rules have been notified by the Department of Personnel and Training and published in the Gazette of India dated 16 September 2026. Candidates should note that the number of vacancies in the various categories has not yet been finalized by the concerned Cadre Controlling Authorities and will be announced in due course.
Cadres Covered Under Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE
The Combined Section Officers’ (Grade-‘B’) LDCE 2026 covers the following services and categories.
| Category | Service |
|---|---|
| Category I | Central Secretariat Service |
| Category II | Indian Foreign Service, Branch ‘B’ |
| Category III | Railway Board Secretariat Service |
| Category VIII | Intelligence Bureau |
| Category X | Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service |
| Category XI | Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (Assistant Director/Manager Grade-I) |
The Combined Stenographers’ LDCE covers Grade-‘B’ and Grade-‘I’ Stenographer posts in the participating services.
Eligibility Criteria
These are Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations, meaning they are restricted to serving government employees who are eligible under the respective LDCE rules for their cadre. Eligibility depends on the candidate’s current post, cadre, length of regular service and other service conditions prescribed in the recruitment rules notified by the Department of Personnel and Training and published in the Gazette of India dated 16 September 2026.
Candidates from the general public are not eligible to apply for these examinations. Serving employees must confirm their eligibility with their respective Cadre Controlling Authority and refer to the detailed notification for the exact service and eligibility conditions applicable to their category.
Exam Pattern
The Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ examination comprises objective type papers as well as descriptive papers. The objective type papers carry negative marking for wrong answers. The papers cover areas including Procedure and Financial and Service Rules, along with Noting, Drafting and Précis Writing in the descriptive component. Candidates should refer to the official notification for the complete scheme of examination, paper-wise marks and syllabus applicable to their category, since the scheme differs across categories and between the Section Officers’ and Stenographers’ examinations.
Selection Process
Selection is made on the basis of performance in the written examination combined with evaluation of the candidate’s service record, as prescribed in the respective LDCE rules.
Where candidates obtain equal marks, tie-breaking criteria are applied in the following order: marks obtained in the written examination, followed by combined marks of Paper-II and Paper-III, followed by marks in Paper-III alone, and finally seniority by age, with the older candidate ranked higher.
Exam Centres
The Combined Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE will be conducted at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Nagpur.
How to Apply for UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026
Eligible serving employees can apply by following the steps below.
Visit the UPSC online application portal. Complete the registration process and fill in the online application form for the relevant examination, selecting your category and cadre correctly. Provide accurate service details including present post, date of joining and cadre particulars as required. Upload the documents and details sought by the Commission. Submit the application before 6:00 PM on 6 October 2026.
Candidates applying for the Combined Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE must additionally submit a printed copy of the submitted online application, duly forwarded through their office, so as to reach the Commission by 23 October 2026. Applicants should confirm this requirement and the forwarding procedure in the official notification, since failure to submit the printed copy within the deadline can result in rejection.
Important Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Examination Notifications | Click Here |
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
Note: UPSC serves the notification documents for this examination through dynamically generated links on its online application portal, so a stable direct PDF link could not be independently verified. Candidates should open the examination notifications page or the online portal above and locate the Combined Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE 2026 notification to read the full notice before applying.
Important Dates
Notification Date: 16 September 2026
Application Start Date: 16 September 2026
Application Last Date: 6 October 2026 (till 6:00 PM)
Last Date for Printed Copy Submission (Section Officers’ only): 23 October 2026
Exam Dates: 12 and 13 December 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026?
It is a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination conducted by UPSC for promotion of serving government employees, covering the Combined Section Officers’ (Grade-‘B’) LDCE 2026 and the Combined Stenographers’ (Grade-‘B’/Grade-‘I’) LDCE for 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Who is eligible to apply for this examination?
Only serving government employees who meet the service and eligibility conditions prescribed under the respective LDCE rules for their cadre are eligible. Candidates from the general public cannot apply.
What is the last date to apply for UPSC LDCE 2026?
The last date to submit the online application is 6 October 2026, till 6:00 PM.
When will the UPSC Section Officers and Stenographers LDCE 2026 be conducted?
The examination is scheduled for 12 and 13 December 2026.
How many vacancies are available in this examination?
The number of vacancies has not yet been finalized by the concerned Cadre Controlling Authorities and will be announced in due course.
Which services are covered under the Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE?
The examination covers the Central Secretariat Service, Indian Foreign Service Branch ‘B’, Railway Board Secretariat Service, Intelligence Bureau, Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation.
Is there negative marking in this examination?
Yes, the objective type papers carry negative marking for wrong answers.
Do candidates need to submit a printed application copy?
Yes, candidates applying for the Combined Section Officers’ Grade-‘B’ LDCE must submit a printed copy of the online application, duly forwarded through their office, by 23 October 2026.
Where will the Section Officers’ LDCE be conducted?
The examination will be conducted at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Nagpur.
How is the final merit determined in this examination?
Merit is determined on the basis of written examination performance along with service record evaluation, with tie-breaking based on written marks, combined Paper-II and Paper-III marks, Paper-III marks alone, and finally seniority by age.
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