Stenographer & Secretarial Assistant (English)

ITI Stenographer & Secretarial Assistant (English) Syllabus (English)

Course Overview

• Trade Name: Stenographer & Secretarial Assistant (English)
• Duration: 1 Year (2 Semesters)
• NSQF Level: Level 4
• Eligibility: 10th Grade Pass with English as a subject
• Objective: To train candidates in English shorthand, typing, and secretarial skills, equipping them for roles as stenographers, secretarial assistants, or office administrators in government/private offices, courts, or corporate firms, or for self-employment in administrative or data entry services.
• Certification: National Trade Certificate (NTC) by NCVT

Detailed Syllabus

Semester 1

Trade Theory

• Introduction to Stenography and Secretarial Work: Role of stenographers and assistants, importance in offices and courts.
• Safety Practices: Ergonomic workstation setup, eye strain prevention, fire safety in offices.
• English Language Basics: Grammar, sentence structure, business vocabulary, punctuation.
• English Shorthand Fundamentals: Pitman shorthand system, consonants, vowels, basic phrases, speed (60 WPM target).
• English Typing Basics: QWERTY keyboard, finger placement, typing speed (25 WPM target), accuracy (98%).
• Office Procedures: Filing systems, drafting letters/memos, email etiquette, telephone handling.
• Computer Fundamentals: Hardware, Windows OS, MS Office (Word, Excel), typing software (e.g., TypingMaster).

Trade Practical

• Safety Drills: Setting up ergonomic chairs/desks, practicing fire evacuation, securing cables.
• Shorthand Practice: Writing consonants/vowels, transcribing simple English sentences in Pitman shorthand.
• Typing Practice: Typing English paragraphs, achieving speed and accuracy on QWERTY keyboard.
• Office Tasks: Drafting business letters, composing emails, role-playing telephone conversations.
• Computer Operations: Creating/formatting documents in MS Word, preparing tables in Excel.
• Filing Exercises: Organizing office records, preparing appointment schedules, indexing documents.
• Project Work: Transcribing a 100-word English passage in shorthand and typing a formal letter.

Hours: Theory: 160 hours | Practical: 240 hours

Semester 2

Trade Theory

• Advanced Shorthand: Advanced Pitman techniques, business/legal phrases, transcription speed (80 WPM target).
• Advanced Typing: Typing complex documents (reports, manuscripts), speed (35 WPM), accuracy (99%).
• Secretarial Skills: Meeting management, agenda/minutes preparation, report writing, travel arrangements.
• Computer Applications: Advanced MS Word (mail merge), Excel (formulas, charts), PowerPoint presentations.
• Basic Accounting: Bookkeeping, petty cash management, introduction to Tally software.
• Professional Ethics: Confidentiality, workplace etiquette, handling sensitive information.
• Entrepreneurship: Starting a secretarial service, freelancing, trends in office administration.

Trade Practical

• Shorthand Exercises: Transcribing business/legal correspondence, achieving 80 WPM, verifying accuracy.
• Typing Tasks: Typing reports, legal documents, manuscripts with minimal errors.
• Secretarial Practice: Preparing meeting agendas, drafting minutes, arranging travel itineraries.
• Computer Tasks: Creating mail-merged letters, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint slides for presentations.
• Accounting Exercises: Recording transactions in Tally, managing petty cash logs.
• Office Simulation: Handling mock office scenarios (scheduling, correspondence, record-keeping).
• Project Work: Managing a simulated office task (e.g., transcribing a speech, typing minutes, organizing a meeting).

Hours: Theory: 160 hours | Practical: 240 hours

Additional Components

• Workshop Calculation and Science
  
  • Calculations: Typing speed calculations, office budget estimation, basic accounting sums.
  • Science: Ergonomics principles, electricity basics for office equipment safety.
  • Hours: 80 hours/year
• Engineering Drawing
  
  • Drawings: Office layouts, workflow charts, organizational hierarchies.
  • Hours: 80 hours/year
• Employability Skills
  
  • Communication: Professional email drafting, client interaction, teamwork.
  • IT Literacy: Using office software, cloud storage, online scheduling tools.
  • Soft Skills: Time management, resume writing, interview preparation.
  • Hours: 60 hours/year

Assessment and Certification

• Exams:
  
  • Theory: Written exams per semester (MCQs, descriptive questions in English).
  • Practical: Tasks like shorthand transcription, typing tests, document preparation, office simulation.
• Evaluation Criteria: Shorthand speed/accuracy, typing proficiency, document quality, secretarial efficiency.
• Certification: NCVT National Trade Certificate (NTC) upon passing both semesters, globally recognized.

Career Opportunities

• Employment: Stenographer, secretarial assistant, office administrator in government offices, courts, or corporate firms.
• Self-Employment: Administrative services, freelance data entry, virtual assistant services in English.
• Further Studies: Diploma in Office Management, certifications in advanced shorthand or Tally.