Accuracy first, then speed: a simple routine that works for English and Hindi typing tests.
Most typing tests measure words per minute, or WPM. By convention, five characters count as one word, so speed does not depend on how long the words are. Gross WPM counts everything you typed, while net WPM counts only the characters you typed correctly, so mistakes lower it. Exams that set a qualifying speed usually care about net speed and accuracy.
Some notices describe the target in key depressions per hour instead. The SSC CHSL 2026 notice, for example, equates 30 words per minute in Hindi with about 9,000 key depressions per hour, typed in 10 minutes, and lists 35 words per minute for English. Targets and rules change between exams and years, so read the notice for yours.
The most common mistake is trying to go fast too early. A typist who stops to fix errors constantly is slower than one who types slightly more slowly and cleanly. Start at a speed where you make almost no mistakes, and only increase it when your accuracy stays high. Speed built on accuracy lasts; speed built on guessing falls apart under exam nerves.
Sit upright with your wrists level and your fingers resting on the home row, which is A, S, D, F for the left hand and J, K, L and the semicolon for the right. Use all ten fingers, and let each finger take the same keys every time. Look at the screen, not at your hands. If you have to look down at first, cover your hands with a cloth or a sheet of paper until the key positions become automatic.
Rhythm matters more than bursts. Aim for an even, steady pace rather than fast and slow patches.
Short, regular practice beats long, rare sessions. Ten to fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours once a week. A good session has three parts: a few minutes of slow accuracy drills, a timed test at your normal speed, and a look at the words you got wrong. Take a 10 minute test every few days, because holding a steady speed for the full duration is harder than a one minute burst.
Track your net WPM and accuracy after each test. Progress is usually slow for the first couple of weeks, then it jumps as the keys become automatic.
Hindi typing has its own difficulties, because letters join into conjuncts and vowel signs attach to consonants. SSC requires Hindi typing in Mangal font, which is typed with the Inscript layout; some state and court exams still use Kruti Dev with the Remington layout. Practise on the layout your exam uses, because switching between them costs a lot of speed.
On Inscript, the vowels sit under your left hand and the most common consonants under your right, so learning the home row first gives you the biggest gain.
On the day, read the passage once before you start if the test allows it, and keep your eyes a few words ahead of your fingers. Do not stop for a single mistake unless the rules require every error to be corrected. If you lose your place, find the next word and carry on. Staying calm and steady usually gives a better score than racing.
With ten to fifteen minutes of focused practice every day, most people see a clear improvement in two to four weeks, though it varies with where you start.
It depends on the exam. One recent SSC notice listed 35 WPM in English and 30 WPM in Hindi for certain posts. Check the notice for your own exam.
Sometimes. Practising without it teaches you to keep going after a slip, which is useful in a test that does not allow corrections. For normal practice, keep it on.