Delhi HC SPA PA Recruitment 2026: Apply for 150 Posts

Last updated: 6 September 2026

For the 2026 Senior Personal Assistant and Personal Assistant recruitment by the Delhi High Court: apply online at delhihighcourt.nic.in for 150 posts and find out about the Level-8 salary, the eligibility requirements and the shorthand requirements.

The official announcement of the Delhi High Court's SPA PA Recruitment 2026 has just been made, and it is one of the most distinguished opportunities available this year for the clerical cadre within India's judicial system. The Delhi High Court has called for online applications for 150 Group 'B' positions — consisting of 117 Senior Personal Assistants (SPA) and 33 Personal Assistants (PA) — with the starting pay being among the highest offered to stenographers throughout the country.

The post is well worth applying for if you are a graduate possessing good English shorthand and typing abilities. However, before you start filling in the application form, it is important that you clearly understand what kind of position suits your skill level, how the four-stage selection process actually functions, and where most candidates fail to get marks even though they aren't aware of it. This guide provides a full explanation of all the official details given in the notification issued by the Delhi High Court on 2 September 2026.

Delhi High Court SPA PA Recruitment 2026 — Quick Overview

The Real Differentiator: Two Posts, Two Separate Applications

This is the section that most candidates fail to notice until it's too late. SPA and PA are considered to be two separate recruitment processes even though they are issued under the same notification. In the case where you are eligible for both positions and wish to increase your chances of success, you have to file two individual online applications and pay two separate application fees—one cannot take the place of the other and there is no combined application form.

This has a strategic implication. Although SPA requires a more demanding shorthand speed (110 wpm) it provides a higher Pay Level (8), whereas PA has a slightly less strict requirement in terms of shorthand (100 wpm) but offers only Pay Level 7. A candidate who is only confident at 100 wpm should not simply decide to skip applying just because SPA appears more prestigious—instead, if eligible they should apply for both, since doing so actually doubles your chance of being selected.

Post-wise Vacancy Breakdown

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

• A bachelor's degree from any field of study at a university that is recognized.
• The ability to write in English shorthand at the speed required for the relevant position (110 wpm for SPA and 100 wpm for PA).
• Typing in English at a speed of at least 40 words per minute on a computer.
• A good knowledge of computer applications.

Age Limit

• Minimum age: 18 years
• Maximum age: 32 years
• The age is that as of 1 January 2026.
• The age relaxation is in accordance with the norms of the Government of India — for the exact number of years available by category, refer to the official notification.

Delhi High Court SPA & PA Salary 2026 — Pay Level 8 vs Level 7

This is one of the main reasons why this recruitment attracts stenographers from all over the country.

In addition to their basic salary, certain candidates are given a Dearness Allowance (DA), a House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other allowances which are applicable to appointments in Delhi, as a result of which their actual in-hand salary is much higher than the basic amount alone.

Four-Stage Selection Workflow

The process used for selecting candidates for both SPA and PA is the same in that it has four stages, but different criteria are applied at each stage.

Stage I — English Typing Test (Qualifying Only)

It is a computer-administered typing test of 10 minutes' duration and a minimum speed of 40 words per minute, the rate being calculated using the 'characters with space' method. The maximum number of errors allowed is 3% of the total number of words typed. This section is entirely for qualifying purposes and the marks obtained in it are not included in your final merit, so you should regard it simply as a clearance hurdle and not as a chance to score points.

Stage II — English Shorthand Test

Candidates are only admitted to this stage if they have passed Stage I, and it is at this point that merit actually begins to count.

• SPA: The dictation was carried out at a speed of 110 words per minute for a 550-word passage lasting over five minutes, and then there was an additional 45 minutes for transcription. The total score was 120.
• PA: The dictation was carried out at a speed of 100 words per minute for a 500-word passage, taking five minutes, and then there was 45 minutes allocated to transcription. The total score was 110.

A candidate has two tries at the shorthand dictation-transcription test and the higher of the two scores is taken as the result.

Stage III — Main (Descriptive) Examination

The paper should be written over a period of 120 minutes and be worth 100 marks; the minimum qualifying marks are 50 out of 100 for candidates in the General category and 45 out of 100 for those in the Reserved category, this including eligible candidates with permanent disabilities.

Stage IV — Interview

The last stage consists of 15 marks and looks at the candidate's overall suitability, their communication skills, and their general awareness with regard to the role of a judicial secretarial appointee.

Shorthand Accuracy & Transcription Parameters

It is actually accuracy — not speed — that leads to the majority of eliminations; the precise method of marking according to the official pattern is as follows:

This should be made clear: the 3% allowance for mistakes refers only to the Stage I Typing Test; the Shorthand Test at Stage II has its own, more strict 5% mistake tolerance, which is calculated based on the total number of words dictated. It is a typical error that candidates make when preparing themselves — you should practice each stage according to its individual benchmark.

Application Fee

The fees can only be paid online using a Debit Card, a Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI. Remember that when you are applying for both SPA and PA, the fee is charged separately for each application.

Step-by-Step Online Application Guide

1. Go to the official website at delhihighcourt.nic.in.
2. Go to the 'Recruitment' or 'Notices' section and find the link for the SPA & PA Examination 2026.
3. To generate your login details, you must register using a valid email address and mobile number.
4. Sign in and complete the application form by entering your personal, educational, and category information.
5. Upload scans of your photograph, signature, and the necessary certificates in the format and size specified.
6. Decide whether you are submitting an application for SPA, PA, or for both of them—just remember that applying for both means you have to make two separate submissions.
7. Make the application fee payable using the online payment methods that are available.
8. Before finally submitting the entries, please go through them carefully—corrections can only be made during the specified correction period.
9. Fill in the form and then download or print the confirmation page for your own records.

Delhi High Court SPA & PA Recruitment 2026: Important Dates

Important Links Table

Disclaimer: All figures above — vacancy numbers, dates, fee structure, and shorthand parameters — are based on the Delhi High Court's official notification dated 2 September 2026, as available at the time of writing. Candidates must verify the final exam date, admit card details, and any addenda directly from delhihighcourt.nic.in before applying or appearing for any stage.