MSBSHSE Syllabus for Class 12 Stenography (Stenography (Marathi) 2020)

Syllabus Overview: Stenography (Marathi) for the 2020 Exam

Stenography (Marathi) is a vocational paper in the state board's Class 12 (HSC) curriculum. Vocational papers build a job-ready skill alongside your regular subjects, and here the skill is writing Marathi speech in shorthand and then typing it out as readable Marathi text. The medium of the paper is Marathi throughout: you write shorthand outlines from Marathi dictation, and you transcribe those outlines into Marathi script.

The syllabus described here is the one prescribed for the academic year 2019-20, that is, the syllabus for students who appeared for the 2020 exam. If you are appearing in a later year, treat this page as a study guide and confirm the current version with your school. The board publishes Stenography (English) and Stenography (Marathi) as two separate syllabi with separate papers, so do not study from the English paper's notes. The shorthand principles overlap, but the dictation language, transcription script, and Marathi terminology do not. You can compare the two on our Class 12 Stenography (English) syllabus page.

Read the overview table as a checklist of what to confirm first. Open the official syllabus PDF and note three numbers before you plan any study: total marks, theory marks, and practical marks. Every later decision, such as how many hours to give dictation practice, depends on how heavily the practical is weighted [verify].

Unit-Wise Syllabus: Topics You Must Cover

The 2020 syllabus groups the Stenography (Marathi) content into four broad units: shorthand theory, transcription and typing, Marathi language and terminology, and office procedure and correspondence [verify]. The unit names below follow the structure of the official syllabus; the exact wording and chapter numbering in the board's PDF may differ slightly, so match each heading against your copy before you make a study plan [verify].

Shorthand Theory and Principles

This unit teaches the strokes themselves. A consonant stroke is a single written sign for a sound; a vowel sign is a small mark placed at a fixed position relative to the stroke. Position matters: the same vowel mark placed at the beginning, middle or end of a stroke can change the word. A diphthong is a sign for two vowel sounds that glide together, for example the sound in "औ" in words like "औषध".

Phrases are two or more words written as one joined outline, such as a common greeting or a formal opening in a letter. A contraction is a shortened outline for a frequently used word. Learn these in small batches and revise them the next day, because a contraction you half-remember is worse than one you write in full.

Transcription and Typing

Transcription is the reverse skill: you look at a shorthand outline and produce the Marathi word in script. In the exam this usually means reading back outlines you or the examiner have written and typing or writing them out as clean Marathi text [verify]. The unit also covers typing layout and proofreading, so practise reading your own outlines a day later, when memory of the dictation has faded and you must rely on the outline alone.

Marathi Language and Terminology

Shorthand speed is wasted if the transcribed word is misspelled. This unit covers Marathi spelling, basic grammar, punctuation, and the official vocabulary used in government and office work: words for "subject", "reference", "enclosure", "forwarded", and similar terms. Keep a notebook of official terms with one example sentence each.

Office Procedure and Correspondence

Here the syllabus moves from language to workplace practice. Drafting letters means writing a formal letter in the correct format: sender's address, date, subject line, salutation, body, and closing. Noting means writing a short summary and a suggested action on a file as it moves up the office. Filing means storing papers so they can be found again, usually by subject or number. A typical question asks you to draft a letter or write a note on a given situation, so practise the format until it is automatic.

If your school also offers Secretarial Practice, the office procedure unit overlaps with it, and you can read our Class 12 Secretarial Practice syllabus and study guide for the drafting and filing basics. For the shorthand principles themselves, the Class 12 Stenography (English) syllabus page shows how the same strokes are taught in the English paper.

Theory Paper: Exam Pattern and Question Types

The theory paper is a written exam. You sit with a pen and answer on paper, and the questions test three things: whether you know the shorthand rules, whether you can read and explain a shorthand outline, and whether you know how office work is done on paper. It is not a speed test. Speed belongs to the practical. The theory paper checks whether you understand why a stroke is written a certain way and whether you can use that knowledge to draft a letter or write a note on a file.

Questions are set in Marathi and your answers must be written in Marathi. This matters more than students expect. If you know a shorthand rule but cannot explain it in clear Marathi, you lose marks. Practise writing your explanations in Marathi, not just reading them.

Typical question types in a paper of this kind are shown below. The exact pattern and marks for each type should be confirmed from the official syllabus and a sample paper [verify].

Marks per section and the total theory marks vary by year, so check the cover page of the official syllabus PDF and your school's sample paper before you plan your revision [verify].

A common mistake is answering a "draft a letter" question as a paragraph. The examiner looks for the sender's address, date, subject line, salutation, body and closing, and gives marks for each part. A well-written paragraph without the format still loses those marks. The fix is simple: write ten letters in the correct format before the exam, and the structure becomes automatic.

For the rule-based questions, keep a small notebook where you write each rule in Marathi in your own words, followed by one outline and one example word. When you revise, cover the explanation and try to write it again from memory. This is the same habit that helps in the practical, where you must read an outline and produce the word quickly. If you also take Secretarial Practice, the drafting and noting questions overlap closely, and our Class 12 Secretarial Practice syllabus and study guide covers the same letter and file-note formats. For a general picture of how theory papers are set and marked, see the Maharashtra Board Class 12 exam pattern and marking scheme.

Practical Exam: Dictation, Transcription, and Speed Requirements

The practical exam has two parts that run one after the other. First comes dictation: the examiner reads a Marathi passage aloud at a fixed speed, and you write it in shorthand outlines. Then comes transcription: you read back your own outlines and type or write the passage in full Marathi. The dictation is usually read once, so you cannot ask for a repeat. Your speed and accuracy in the first part decide how much you have to transcribe in the second.

The expected shorthand speed for Class 12 is usually in the range of 80 to 100 words per minute, and the transcription time is commonly 30 to 45 minutes for the dictated passage [verify]. The number of words dictated, the exact speed, the transcription time and the permitted error margin all vary by year, so confirm them from the official syllabus PDF and from your school's practical schedule [verify].

Accuracy, speed and neatness are marked separately, so a fast but messy attempt can score lower than a slower, clean one. Neatness matters because the examiner has to read your outlines and your Marathi handwriting. Unclear strokes or overwritten corrections are treated as errors.

To build speed, practise in three steps. Dictate a passage to yourself, or ask a friend to read one, at a speed slightly below your current limit, and note where you hesitate. Repeat the same passage the next day at a higher speed. Then do a timed transcription of your outlines and count the errors. Keep a small log with three columns: date, speed, and errors. A typical entry might read "12 Jan, 90 wpm, 4 errors, 2 spelling, 2 vowel placement". This log shows you exactly which mistake repeats, and that is where your practice should go.

If you also prepare the English version of the paper, the drill is the same and you can use the same log; see our Class 12 Stenography (English) syllabus page. For the general conduct of practical exams, including reporting time and stationery rules, read How to prepare for board practical exams: a general guide.

Marks Distribution and Passing Criteria

The Stenography (Marathi) paper is split into a theory paper and a practical exam, and each is marked separately. The table below shows the usual pattern. Treat every number here as approximate until you confirm it from the official syllabus PDF for your exam year [verify].

Some vocational papers carry 80 marks theory and 20 marks practical, while others use a 50:50 split [verify]. Do not assume the pattern from another subject. Open the syllabus PDF for Stenography (Marathi) and read the marks column yourself, then check it against the exam pattern page for Class 12.

Passing works on two separate doors. You need the minimum pass mark in the theory paper and the minimum pass mark in the practical exam, usually 35 percent of each component's marks [verify]. Scoring well in the practical will not rescue a failed theory paper, and a good theory score will not cover a failed practical. Both must be cleared.

Here is a typical case. A student scores 62 out of 80 in theory (about 78 percent) but only 5 out of 20 in the practical (25 percent). If the pass mark for the practical is 7 out of 20 [verify], the subject is marked failed despite the strong theory score. The fix is not more theory revision; it is daily dictation practice until the speed and accuracy cross the minimum.

If your school conducts an internal assessment, ask your teacher exactly which activities are graded and how many marks they carry, because these marks are added by the school and not by the board [verify]. For the wider marking scheme across subjects, see the Maharashtra Board Class 12 exam pattern and marking scheme.

Download the Official Syllabus PDF and Verify the 2020 Version

The syllabus PDF is the only document that settles marks, units and speed requirements. Everything else, including this page, is a guide. Get the PDF before you plan your study.

Follow these steps on the state board's official website:

1. Open the state board's official website in a browser.
2. Go to the section for syllabus or curriculum, usually listed under "Students" or "Examinations".
3. Select Class 12 (HSC) and then the vocational or technical subject group.
4. Find the listing for Stenography (Marathi) and open or download the PDF for the exam year you need.
5. Save the file to your phone or computer. Do not rely on reading it once on screen.

The 2020 syllabus is now an old document, so it will not sit on the main syllabus page. Look under an archive, "previous years", or a year-wise syllabus list. If the site only shows the current year, the 2020 file may have been moved or removed. A direct PDF link is helpful only if it is live: check any link before trusting it [verify].

Once you have the file, confirm three things on its first page: the subject name says Stenography (Marathi), the class says 12 or HSC, and the year or academic year matches 2019-20, the year the 2020 exam was held. A file labelled with a different year may carry a revised unit list or different marks.

If you cannot find the PDF, ask your subject teacher first, since schools keep copies of the syllabus for the batch they teach. If the teacher cannot help, contact the board office or your school's exam coordinator and ask for the Stenography (Marathi) syllabus for the 2020 exam in writing. Do not build a study plan from a downloaded file whose year you have not confirmed.

Preparation Strategy: Speed Building and Transcription Practice

Stenography (Marathi) rewards habit more than last-minute effort. Shorthand is a motor skill: your hand has to form outlines without conscious thought, and that only comes from short, regular practice. A 90-minute daily block, split into three equal parts, works better than a single long session on Sunday. The same logic applies to Stenography (English) if you take both papers.

Daily Shorthand Drills

Spend 30 minutes writing outlines from a word list, not from continuous text. Take one rule at a time (consonants, then vowel placement, then diphthongs, then phrases and contractions), write 20 to 30 words for that rule, and read each outline back aloud in Marathi. Reading back is the step most students skip, and it is the step that fixes memory.

Build speed progressively. Start dictation at a speed where you can write every outline correctly, even if that is well below the exam requirement, and add about 5 words per minute only after two clean sessions at the current speed. Writing fast and wrong teaches your hand the wrong shape, and unlearning it costs weeks.

Timed Transcription Sessions

Transcription means reading your own shorthand and writing it out in Marathi script. Give it 30 minutes daily with a timer. Take a passage you dictated the previous day, transcribe it, then compare it with the original word by word. Mark every error in an error log with three columns: the word, the type of error (outline, vowel, spelling, phrase), and the correct form. Review the log every Sunday. If one error type appears more than five times in a week, that rule becomes your drill focus for the next week.

Marathi Language Practice

Shorthand accuracy does not save you if your Marathi spelling is weak, because transcription marks are lost on wrong matras, wrong shabda endings and incorrect official terms. Keep a small notebook of administrative words you meet in office procedure lessons and write each one five times. Read one Marathi newspaper editorial a week and copy two paragraphs in your own handwriting. This also trains the vocabulary you will need in the theory paper.

Keep the theory and practical strands running together. A rule you cannot explain in Marathi in the theory paper is usually a rule you also misapply in dictation, so the two reinforce each other. For general practical exam discipline, see how to prepare for board practical exams.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Stenography (Marathi)

Most marks in this paper are lost to a small set of repeated errors, not to lack of effort. Knowing them in advance saves you weeks of correction later.

Incorrect vowel placement. A vowel sign written on the wrong side of a consonant changes the word completely. For example, a sign placed before the stroke instead of after it can turn one Marathi word into another, and the transcription then reads as a different word altogether. Fix: revise the vowel placement rules from your textbook every fortnight and write 20 outlines for each rule while saying the word aloud.

Inconsistent phrasing. Students invent their own phrase outlines for common word pairs and then forget them under exam pressure. If a phrase outline is not from the prescribed list, do not use it. Fix: keep one page of approved phrases and revise it weekly.

Marathi spelling errors in transcription. Wrong matras, wrong word endings and incorrect official terms cost marks even when the shorthand was correct. Fix: keep a dictionary at your desk and check every doubtful word during practice, not after.

Untidy or unclear outlines. Examiners penalise outlines they cannot read. A stroke that is too light, too long, or joined carelessly is marked wrong even if you meant the correct form. Write with a firm hand, keep strokes distinct, and never overwrite a correction on top of an outline.

Peer review helps here: exchange transcribed passages with a classmate and let them read your shorthand. Errors you cannot see in your own writing are usually obvious to someone else. If you also take Stenography (English), apply the same checks to both papers.

How to Use the Syllabus for Revision

Treat the syllabus as a calendar, not a document to read once. Count the weeks left before your theory and practical exams, then divide the four units across those weeks. A workable split for a ten-week run-up: two weeks each for shorthand theory and Marathi language, two weeks for office procedure, and the remaining four weeks for transcription and speed work, since that is where daily practice matters most.

Print the unit-wise table from the earlier section and tick each topic only when you can explain it in Marathi without opening the book. A tick you cannot defend is a false tick, and it will show up in your theory answers. After finishing each unit, set a 30-minute self-test: write five outlines from memory, transcribe one short passage, and answer two theory questions. Mark your own paper against the textbook and list what you got wrong.

Do not separate theory from practical. When you revise a shorthand rule, write outlines that use it and then transcribe them, so the same sitting covers both papers. Speed building needs the largest share of your weekly time, so protect your dictation and transcription slots even on days when theory revision is pending. If you also take Stenography (English), slot its practice into the same sessions rather than creating a second timetable.

Exam Day Tips for Theory and Practical

On the theory day, read the whole question paper once before writing anything. Underline the instruction words: "लिहा" (write), "स्पष्ट करा" (explain), "फरक सांगा" (state the difference). A question that asks you to explain a shorthand rule needs the rule plus one outline as an example, not just a definition. Divide the time by marks: if the paper is 100 marks in 3 hours, a 5-mark answer deserves roughly 9 minutes, not 20. Write every answer in Marathi, including headings and technical terms, and keep your shorthand outlines large enough for the examiner to read.

For the practical, the dictation is the part you cannot redo, so stay calm and keep the pen moving. If you miss a word, leave a small gap and catch the next phrase instead of stopping to reconstruct it. Use grammalogues and phrases where they are standard, but do not invent new abbreviations under exam pressure. Transcribe neatly and cross out errors with a single line rather than scribbling over them.

• Carry two pens, a pencil, an eraser, and a watch. Many centres do not have a working clock in the hall.
• Reach the centre at least 30 minutes early and read the seating and stationery instructions carefully.
• On the morning of the exam, revise only what you already know: common grammalogues, frequently used phrases, and a few Marathi official terms. Do not start a new chapter.
• If you also appear for Stenography (English), check the timing of the two practicals so the practice sessions do not clash.

Related Subjects and Further Resources

Stenography (Marathi) rarely stands alone on a Class 12 timetable. Most students pair it with other vocational or commerce papers, and the study habits overlap more than you might expect. If you are appearing for Stenography (English) as well, read the Class 12 Stenography (English) syllabus page and compare the shorthand principles unit by unit. The consonants, vowels and phrasing rules are largely the same; only the language of dictation and transcription changes, so one revision session can serve both papers.

Students aiming at office or accounts work often combine Stenography with Secretarial Practice or Book Keeping. The Class 12 Secretarial Practice syllabus and study guide covers correspondence, noting and filing, which is exactly the office procedure unit you study here. Book Keeping and Accountancy builds the numerical side that many stenographer and clerk posts expect. Neither subject is compulsory, but together they keep your options open for commerce degrees and junior office roles.

Two habits keep you safe. First, check the board's official website before every exam cycle, because vocational syllabi are sometimes revised and the page you saved last year may be outdated [verify]. Second, confirm the syllabus for every subject you are appearing for, not just this one. A mismatch between what you studied and what the paper asks for is the easiest problem to avoid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I download the MSBSHSE Class 12 Stenography (Marathi) syllabus PDF?

Download it from the official state board website under the HSC syllabus or vocational subjects section. Your school's exam section usually keeps a copy too. Search for the file by the exact subject name, Stenography (Marathi), because the English paper is a separate PDF. Check that the year printed on the file matches your exam year before you rely on it. [verify]

What is the difference between Stenography and Stenography (Marathi) in the Class 12 syllabus?

They are two separate papers with separate syllabi. In the Marathi paper, dictation is given in Marathi and you transcribe into Marathi script; the English paper uses English throughout. Shorthand principles overlap, but the outlines, terminology and transcription script differ. Never prepare for the Marathi paper using English shorthand notes, as the practice passages will not match.

How many marks is the Stenography (Marathi) theory paper and how many is the practical?

The 2020 scheme assesses both a theory and a practical component, but the exact split is not stated in the syllabus overview. Open the official PDF and note the total, theory and practical marks before planning study time. The practical usually carries substantial weight, so confirm this number first. [verify]

What shorthand speed is expected in the Class 12 Stenography practical exam?

The syllabus prescribes a dictation speed for the practical, typically given in words per minute along with a transcription time limit. Confirm the exact speed and time from the official PDF, since it decides how much daily dictation practice you need. Build up gradually: start slow for accuracy, then increase speed closer to the exam. [verify]

Has the Stenography (Marathi) syllabus changed since the 2020 exam?

The page describes the syllabus prescribed for academic year 2019-20, the 2020 exam. Later revisions may have changed topics, marks or dictation speed, so treat this as a study guide only. Ask your teacher or check the board's current syllabus PDF for your exam year before finalising your preparation. [verify]

Which stream can take Stenography (Marathi) as a Class 12 subject?

Stenography (Marathi) is a vocational paper in the HSC curriculum, so it is normally offered alongside regular subjects rather than as a stream-specific subject. Availability depends on whether your school or junior college offers that vocational subject. Confirm with your school's exam section whether it is taught at your centre. [verify]