Hindi typing examinations are a mandatory component of recruitment for thousands of positions in Indian state and central government departments. Most of these examinations are conducted on the KrutiDev 010 keyboard layout. This guide provides a structured approach to preparation.
Which Examinations Use KrutiDev?
KrutiDev is the required font for Hindi typing tests in the following types of examinations:
- SSC (Staff Selection Commission) Hindi Stenographer examination
- State Public Service Commission lower division clerk examinations (Rajasthan, MP, UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and others)
- High Court and District Court Hindi typist examinations
- Secretariat Hindi typist positions
- Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) clerical grade examinations
Always verify the specific font requirement in the official examination notification, as some examinations have shifted to Unicode-based typing or use Mangal font with the Inscript keyboard layout.
Understanding the KrutiDev 010 Keyboard Layout
KrutiDev maps ASCII characters to Devanagari glyphs. The layout does not follow a phonetic scheme — characters are not placed according to their Hindi sounds. Instead, they are placed based on visual similarity to the Latin letters or historical convention.
Key Mappings to Memorise First
| Key | Hindi Character | Name |
|---|---|---|
| v | अ | a (short) |
| vk | आ | aa (long) |
| d | क | ka |
| [k | ख | kha |
| x | ग | ga |
| ?k | घ | gha |
| p | च | cha |
| t | ज | ja |
| r | त | ta |
| n | द | da |
| u | न | na |
| i | प | pa |
| c | ब | ba |
| e | म | ma |
| ; | य | ya |
| j | र | ra |
| y | ल | la |
| o | व | va |
| l | स | sa |
| g | ह | ha |
Vowel Signs (Matras)
| Key | Matra | Example (with क) |
|---|---|---|
| k | ा (aa) | dk = का |
| f | ि (i) — placed before consonant | fd = कि |
| h | ी (ii) | dh = की |
| q | ु (u) | dq = कु |
| w | ू (uu) | dw = कू |
| s | े (e) | ds = के |
| S | ै (ai) | dS = कै |
| a | ं (anusvara) | da = कं |
| % | ः (visarga) | d% = कः |
| ~ | ् (halant) | d~ = क् |
Effective Practice Strategy
Phase 1 — Character Familiarisation (Week 1–2)
Do not attempt to type full words immediately. Spend the first two weeks learning individual character mappings using flashcards or the Quick Examples on the KrutiDev Converter. Type each character ten times before moving to the next.
Phase 2 — Common Words (Week 3–4)
Move to typing common Hindi words. Focus on the 200 most frequently occurring words in standard Hindi prose. Type each word until you can produce it without looking at the keyboard.
Phase 3 — Sentences and Speed Building (Week 5–8)
Type complete Hindi sentences from newspaper articles or examination practice passages. Use a typing speed tracker and aim to improve by 2–3 words per minute each week. Most examinations require 30 words per minute at 5% error tolerance.
Phase 4 — Timed Practice (Week 9+)
Simulate examination conditions: 10-minute timed passages at the required speed. Track errors as well as speed — accuracy is equally important.
Frequently Asked Questions
What typing speed is required for government Hindi typist examinations?
The standard requirement is 30 words per minute (WPM) for typist grade and 80 WPM for stenographer grade, measured on KrutiDev 010.
How can I use the DailyGen converter for practice?
Use the KrutiDev to Unicode Converter to verify your typing. Type your practice passage in KrutiDev in the input box and confirm that the Unicode output matches the intended Hindi text.
Is the Inscript keyboard layout accepted in these examinations?
Some examinations have migrated to Inscript Unicode typing. Check the official notification. If both are offered, KrutiDev is generally the higher-scoring option for candidates who have already practised it extensively.