RRB NTPC Typing Test: Speed, 5% Rule, Formula and Tips

Railway clerk-cum-typist and similar NTPC posts require a computer based typing skill test (CBTST). It is qualifying, and its rules are stricter than most candidates expect. Here is what the official instructions say and how to prepare.

The rules

English: at least 30 WPM, meaning 300 words in 10 minutes. Hindi: at least 25 WPM, meaning 250 words.
Session: 1 minute of practice, a 5-minute break, then the 10-minute test that counts.
If you finish the passage early, you may start again from the beginning.
Transcripts below the minimum word count are not evaluated at all.
Editing tools for correcting typed matter are not permitted.

How the speed is calculated

This is the part that surprises people. Mistakes are counted as full or half, then:

Total mistakes = full + half ÷ 2.
Up to 5% of words typed are ignored as mistakes.
Speed = (words typed − remaining mistakes × 10) ÷ 10 minutes.

Each mistake beyond the 5% allowance costs you 10 words. Two candidates who both type 380 words:

	Candidate A	Candidate B
Words typed	380	380
Total mistakes	18	26
5% allowance	19	19
Final mistakes	0	7
Speed	38 WPM, qualified	(380 − 70) ÷ 10 = 31 WPM, just qualified

A few more mistakes and Candidate B would fail with the same typing speed.

Practise without backspace

Because editing is not allowed, the key skill is to keep going calmly after a mistake. Our RRB NTPC simulation turns backspace off by default. Practise this way for at least two weeks before the test.

Targets

Aim to type 400 or more words in 10 minutes in English (40 WPM), or 330 or more in Hindi, with fewer mistakes than 5% of what you type. That leaves a safety margin for nerves.

Hindi candidates should practise on the keyboard layout they will use; see the Hindi typing test.