Supreme Court SPA 2026 Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Shorthand Strategy

undefined

Supreme Court SPA 2026 Selection Stages Overview

Stage 1: Objective Written Test (100 Marks): 100 multiple choice questions evaluating General English, General Knowledge, Constitutional Judiciary Provisions, Supreme Court Rules 2013, and Computer Operations. Minimum qualifying standard is 50%.
Stage 2: English Shorthand Speed Test: Dictation passage delivered at 110 w.p.m. with candidate transcription on computer terminal in Delhi/NCR.
Stage 3: English Computer Typing Test: Minimum speed requirement of 40 w.p.m. on computer with high accuracy.
Stage 4: Personal Interview (30 Marks): Assessing personality, professional decorum, legal transcription awareness, and communication skills before the Supreme Court Registry Board.
Stage 5: Document Verification & Medical Assessment: Verification of original testimonials, category certificates, and medical fitness.

Stage 1: Objective Written Examination Pattern
Test Section	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration
General English Comprehension & Grammar	25	25	Composite time of 90 to 120 minutes
General Knowledge & Current Legal Affairs	25	25	(As specified in Admit Card)
Judiciary Provisions in Constitution of India	25	25	—
Supreme Court Rules, 2013 (Practice & Procedure)	15	15	—
Computer Knowledge & Office Operations	10	10	—
Total	100 Questions	100 Marks	Passing Mark: 50% (50 Marks)

General English (25 Marks): Spotting errors, sentence improvement, synonyms, antonyms, active/passive voice, direct/indirect narration, idiomatic phrases, one-word substitution, cloze test, and reading comprehension passages based on editorial or judicial themes.
General Knowledge & Current Affairs (25 Marks): National and international events, landmark Supreme Court rulings, awards, sports, appointments of Chief Justices and judges, Union Budget, Indian economy, modern Indian history, and general science fundamentals.
Constitution of India – Judiciary Provisions (25 Marks): Deep focus on Part V Chapter IV (The Union Judiciary, Articles 124 to 147), appointment and removal of judges, original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction (Article 143), writ jurisdiction (Article 32 vs Article 226), Court of Record (Article 129), curative petitions, and Constitutional Benches.
Supreme Court Rules, 2013 (15 Marks): Structure of registry filings, caveats, orders and notices, limitation periods for Special Leave Petitions (SLP under Article 136), review petitions, powers of Registrar, listing procedures, and court vacation benches.
Computer Knowledge & Digital Operations (10 Marks): Windows OS architecture, MS Word (formatting, mail merge, headers/footers, shortcuts), MS Excel fundamentals, networking basics, cybersecurity hygiene, email protocols, e-Courts ecosystem, and digital case management systems.

Stage 2 & 3: Shorthand Dictation & Typing Standards
Skill Component	Prescribed Standard	Evaluation Criteria & Benchmark
English Shorthand Speed	110 words per minute (w.p.m.)	Dictation of legal/general passages for 5 to 7 minutes with standardized computer transcription.
English Computer Typing	40 words per minute (w.p.m.)	Net speed calculation factoring keystrokes, deductions for spelling errors, omissions, and punctuation faults.

Phase 1: Build Legal & Judicial Vocabulary: Traditional Pitman shorthand outlines frequently stumble on specialized judicial phraseology. Practice outlines for terms such as 'appellant', 'respondent', 'interlocutory application', 'sub-judice', 'habeas corpus', 'ratio decidendi', and 'ad interim' until reflex speed is achieved.
Phase 2: Progressive Speed Drilling: Train daily at varying speeds: start at 100 w.p.m. for clean accuracy, scale to 110 w.p.m., and push to 120 w.p.m. during audio drills. Training above 110 w.p.m. makes the actual 110 w.p.m. examination dictation feel comfortable and manageable.
Phase 3: Strict Computer Transcription Discipline: Speed in taking dictation is futile if computer transcription lags. Dedicate at least 45 minutes every evening to transcribing recorded shorthand notes directly onto a computer terminal, counting every omission, substitution, and spelling error.
Phase 4: Audio Variety & Accent Exposure: Practice with diverse dictation voices (male/female, varying pitch and acoustics) to simulate real test center hall acoustic environments without getting flustered.

Morning (2 Hours) – Core Legal & Constitution Study: Study Articles 124 to 147 of the Indian Constitution, read bare acts and the official handbook of Supreme Court Rules 2013, and summarize key definitions and orders.
Mid-Day (1.5 Hours) – General English & Computer Awareness: Solve 50 English practice questions (grammar rules, comprehension passages) and revise MS Office shortcuts and e-Court portals.
Afternoon (2 Hours) – Shorthand Dictation Practice: Two full shorthand dictation sessions (105 w.p.m. and 115 w.p.m.), followed by word-by-word outline checking and corrections.
Evening (1.5 Hours) – Typing Drills & GK/Current Affairs: Practice 30 minutes on standard typing software aiming for 45+ w.p.m. net speed. Spend 1 hour reviewing legal current affairs, recent judgments, and general knowledge.
Weekend – Full Length Mock Tests: Attempt an objective written paper under strict timed conditions (50% passing threshold minimum benchmark) followed by an end-to-end shorthand-to-PC transcription test.

Important Resources & Official Portals
Supreme Court Official Recruitment Portal	Click Here
Supreme Court of India Main Website	Click Here

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question: Is there a minimum qualifying mark for the Supreme Court SPA Objective Test?
Answer: Yes, candidates must secure at least 50% qualifying marks (50 marks out of 100) in the Stage 1 Objective Written Test to be eligible for shortlisting for the Shorthand and Typing skill tests.
Question: What is the exact shorthand speed required for Supreme Court SPA?
Answer: The shorthand dictation speed requirement is 110 words per minute (w.p.m.) in English, followed by computer transcription within the allotted timeframe.
Question: Is a separate typing test conducted for Senior Personal Assistant?
Answer: Yes, in addition to shorthand dictation, candidates must clear an English computer typing test with a minimum speed of 40 words per minute (w.p.m.).
Question: Where can I study Supreme Court Rules and Constitutional judiciary provisions?
Answer: Candidates should thoroughly study Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India (Articles 124–147) and the official Supreme Court Rules, 2013 available on the Supreme Court official portal.