EnglishTyping.in

SSC CHSL and CGL Typing Test Rules: Speed, KDPH, DEST, Mistakes

By . Updated , 2 min read.

Bar chart of SSC typing requirements: CHSL English 35 WPM, CHSL Hindi 30 WPM, CGL DEST 2000 key depressions

The Staff Selection Commission runs two kinds of typing tests: the typing test for LDC and JSA posts in CHSL, and the Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) for certain CGL posts. Both are qualifying, but failing either ends your selection for those posts.

SSC CHSL typing test

PostsLDC, JSA
English35 WPM, about 10,500 key depressions per hour
Hindi30 WPM, about 9,000 key depressions per hour
Time10 minutes (15 minutes for eligible PwD candidates)
MediumChosen at the time of application; cannot be changed

Data Entry Operator posts in CHSL have a separate skill test measured in key depressions per hour, typically 15,000 KDPH in 15 minutes for DEO posts in most ministries.

SSC CGL DEST

DEST applies to posts such as Tax Assistant. You type an English passage of about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes. That is roughly 27 WPM, well within reach of a regular typist, but nerves make it harder than it looks. Practise on the DEST simulation.

How mistakes are counted

SSC evaluates speed and accuracy on the correct entry of the given passage. Errors are treated as full mistakes (omissions, substitutions, additions, spelling) or half mistakes (spacing, punctuation, capitalisation). Read the skill test instructions released with your admit card: they list the exact categories and the error tolerance for your test. Our SSC CHSL simulation marks both kinds in its report.

Hindi typing in SSC

SSC has allowed Hindi typing on Inscript (Mangal) and Remington GAIL in recent skill tests. If you learned on Krutidev, Remington GAIL uses the same keys and outputs Unicode. Practise on the Mangal Inscript test or the Remington Hindi test.

A two-week sprint before the skill test

  • Daily: one 10-minute simulation with highlighting off, then review every mistake in the report.
  • Daily: 10 minutes on the mistakes you repeat (often capital letters after full stops, and small words like “of”, “the”, “to”).
  • Every third day: one test with backspace off, to train you not to stop.
  • Target: 40 WPM net in practice, to clear 35 comfortably on the day.

On the day

Arrive early, check the keyboard before the test starts, and adjust the chair. Read the first line of the passage before typing. Keep a steady pace instead of sprinting; the last two minutes count as much as the first two.

Practise now

Read next