Learning Inscript in a logical order
Inscript is designed around the Hindi alphabet. Vowels and matras sit under the left hand, consonants under the right. The home row alone gives you ो े ् ि ु on the left and प र क त च ट on the right.
- Home row: a ो, s े, d ्, f ि, g ु, h प, j र, k क, l त, ; च.
- Top row: q ौ, w ै, e ा, r ी, t ू, y ब, u ह, i ग, o द, p ज.
- Bottom row: x ं, c म, v न, b व, n ल, m स, / य.
- Shift gives the aspirated letter or full vowel on the same key: K ख, E आ, D अ.
Half letters are made with the halant: k d l gives क्त.
Mangal (Inscript) vs Remington GAIL vs Krutidev
| Inscript (Mangal) | Remington GAIL | Krutidev | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output | Unicode | Unicode | Legacy font characters |
| Key positions | Government standard, vowels on the left, consonants on the right | Same positions as the old Remington typewriter and Krutidev | Remington typewriter positions |
| Short i (ि) | Typed after the letter | Typed before the letter (f + letter) | Typed before the letter |
| Allowed in | SSC, CPCT, most central exams | SSC, CPCT, many state exams | UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and court exams that ask for Krutidev |
Remington GAIL and Krutidev use the same keys, so a Krutidev typist can use Remington GAIL in an exam without retraining. See both layouts key by key on the Hindi keyboard chart.
How to use the built-in keyboards
- Inscript (built in): type on your normal keyboard. k gives क, e gives ा, d gives the halant ् that joins letters.
- Remington GAIL (built in): d gives क, k gives ा, and f before a letter gives ि. Half letters like क् are on Shift (D).
- My keyboard: if Hindi is already installed on your computer, this option takes your keystrokes as they are.
On phones, built-in keyboards need a physical keyboard. With an on-screen keyboard, choose "My keyboard" and switch Gboard to Hindi.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mangal a keyboard or a font?
Mangal is a Unicode Hindi font made by Microsoft. The keyboard used with it in exams is Inscript. Today any Unicode font such as Nirmala UI or Noto Sans Devanagari shows the same text.
How do I install Inscript on Windows?
Settings, Time and language, Language, add Hindi and choose the Hindi Traditional (Inscript) keyboard. Switch with Windows key + Space.