Stenographer and his Career Scope in Pakistan

A person who records speech in shorthand and type the same is called stenographer. Stenography is a good profession and demand of Stenographer is a pre-requisite in all the organizations i.e. government as well as private organizations.

Stenographer Jobs in Pakistan

Let us discuss the job opportunities for a stenographer and his career scope in Pakistan. Here, we shall mainly focus on government sector wherein strength of stenographers is greater as compare to private sector.

As per an estimate, about 7000 posts pertaining to the work of shorthand / typing were advertised in different departments all over the Pakistan, for the last five years. Out of the these posts, for about 1500 posts of stenographer were advertised by public Service Commissions in Pakistan, whereas nearly 1200 posts were advertised by different courts. For about 4300 posts were advertised by departments, attached departments and autonomous organizations through National Testing Services or directly. After promulgation of 18th Constitutional Amendment in Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, number of provincial departments have increased. All provinces have established the new departments which is resulting in job opportunities for stenographers as well. Demand of stenographers in private organizations is lesser however these private organizations recruit personal assistants and private secretaries for front office management, stenography and other secretarial tasks. Private firms, law associates and private law practitioners hire the services of stenographers for disposing of the work.

In all the government departments, stenographers play an important role in disposal of day to day official work in speedy manner. Dictation, typing, computer operating, attending telephone calls are majors duties of a stenographer. However, besides such duties Personal Assistant /Private Secretary manages front office, meeting schedules and secretarial tasks of his boss.

Stenographer is hired in BS-14 through initial appointment either on the recommendations of Public Service Commissions, Departmental Selection Committees (DSC) and National Testing Services.

Qualification / Skill Requirements

For initial recruitment, candidate must be intermediate with 70-80 words per minutes shorthand speed and 30-40 words per minute typing speed in the government departments alongwith basic computer knowledge.

For appointments in Courts, general criteria is that candidate must be graduate with 100-110 words per minutes shorthand speed and 50 words per minute typing alongwith basic computer knowledge.

Career Scope of Stenographer in Government Sector

In Secretariat Departments all over Pakistan, stenographer after completion of five years' service on regular basis are eligible for promotion in BS-16 as Senior Scale Stenographer / Personal Assistant. Senior Scale Stenographer / Personal Assistant on completion of five years' service are eligible for promotion as Private Secretary, BS-17 and Section Officer, BS-17. Such promotions are granted seniority cum fitness basis.

There are precedents where a stenographer got promotion as Deputy Secretary, BS-18 & Additional Secretary, BS-19. In other Non-Secretariat Departments, Stenographers have less chance of promotion as compared with the Secretariat Department.

In Courts, stenographer is appointed in BS-16 through initial recruitment either on the recommendations of PPSC or DSC as the case may be and with passage of time has opportunity to enjoy the BS-17, BS-18 and even BS-19 as Assistant Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Additional Registrar respectively.

Career Scope of Stenographer in Private Sector

In private organizations, official work is being carried out by stenographers in the capacity of Personal Assistant or Personal Secretary, who look after the front office, secretarial tasks and other day to day work of the boss. Journalists also learn stenography in order to get the news in speedy manner. The private law practitioners also hire the services of stenographers to draft the cases to be presented in courts.

In addition, being technical in his job, a stenographer easily may find part time job in the evening and earn about Rs.4000 to 7000. Publishers, Copywriters, Media House, Law Firms, etc. He with experience may even teach interested candidates the short hand.

Disclaimer: careermidway.com is not responsible for the references/ figures of job positions mentioned in this post, which are based on wide research and may vary from one department to another.