SSC Typing Test 2026: Speed, Rules and Which Posts Need It
SSC has three kinds of typing test. CHSL LDC/JSA: 35 words per minute in English or 30 in Hindi, in 10 minutes. CGL DEST: a passage of about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes. CHSL DEO: 8,000 or 15,000 key depressions per hour for 15 minutes. All of them are qualifying: you have to pass, but the marks don't count towards your rank. Stenographers take a separate dictation and transcription test.
SSC CHSL typing test →SSC CGL DEST test →SSC typing test at a glance
The rules below come from the 2026 CHSL, CGL and Stenographer notices. Extra time applies to candidates eligible for a scribe.
| Test | Posts | Speed required | Time | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHSL typing test | LDC, JSA | 35 WPM English (about 10,500 key depressions an hour) or 30 WPM Hindi (about 9,000) | 10 minutes (15 with scribe eligibility) | Hindi or English, chosen in the application form. Hindi in Mangal font only |
| CHSL DEO skill test, Part A | DEO in the ministries listed at para 8.1 of the notice | 15,000 key depressions an hour | 15 minutes (20) | English printed matter of about 3,700 to 4,000 key depressions |
| CHSL DEO skill test, Part B | All other DEO posts | 8,000 key depressions an hour | 15 minutes (20) | English printed matter of about 2,000 to 2,200 key depressions |
| CGL DEST | All CGL posts, with a higher standard for some | About 2,000 key depressions | 15 minutes (20) | Not stated in the notice |
| Stenographer skill test | Grade C and Grade D | Dictation at 100 WPM (Grade C) or 80 WPM (Grade D) | 10 minutes of dictation, then 40 or 55 minutes to transcribe (Grade C, English or Hindi) or 50 or 65 minutes (Grade D) | English or Hindi |
SSC typing speed required, in WPM and key depressions
CHSL states its LDC/JSA speed in words per minute. CGL and the DEO tests state it in key depressions, meaning every key you press, including spaces. SSC links the two in the CHSL notice: 35 WPM is about 10,500 key depressions an hour, and 30 WPM about 9,000. The CGL passage of about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes works out to the same 8,000 an hour as the CHSL DEO Part B test.
If your practice tool shows only one of these units, the WPM to KDPH calculator converts between them.
Which SSC posts need a typing test?
SSC CHSL
Lower Division Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant candidates take the typing test. Data Entry Operator candidates take the DEO skill test instead, and it's mandatory with no exemptions. The SSC CHSL typing test page has a timed practice test with the 35 and 30 WPM targets.
SSC CGL
DEST is mandatory for every CGL post. For some posts SSC sets a higher DEST standard: Tax Assistant in CBIC and CBDT, UDC/SSA in the Central Bureau of Narcotics, and the posts that need Computer Proficiency, such as Assistant Section Officer in CSS, MEA and AFHQ, Assistant in SFIO, GSI and IMD, Inspector (CGST and Central Excise, Preventive Officer, Examiner), Executive Assistant in CBIC and Postal or Sorting Assistant. Practise on the SSC CGL DEST typing test.
SSC Stenographer
Grade C and Grade D candidates take a shorthand skill test: dictation, then typing out the notes on a computer. The SSC Stenographer skill test page drills the typing half.
Is the SSC typing test compulsory? Qualifying marks and error limits
The typing and skill tests are qualifying in both exams. Fail one and you're out of the running for that post, but a good typing result doesn't raise your rank; merit comes from your Tier-II section marks.
CGL DEST error limits. The CGL 2026 notice (para 16.2) sets the maximum errors allowed in DEST at 20% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 30% for all other categories. Posts with a higher DEST standard get a stricter cut-off, which SSC decides.
CHSL. The notice says the typing and skill tests are evaluated under the guidelines on SSC's website, with errors worked out to two decimal places. It doesn't print a percentage limit, so check the evaluation guidelines for your cycle. To see how full and half mistakes change a practice score, read how typing tests are scored.
SSC typing test rules to know before exam day
- In CHSL you choose Hindi or English for the typing test in the application form. SSC won't let you change it later.
- Hindi typing for LDC/JSA has to be in Mangal font. Typing in any other font means you don't qualify. The Mangal typing test lets you practise on InScript or Remington GAIL.
- The CHSL DEO passage is given as printed matter, and it may also be shown on screen.
- Candidates eligible for a scribe get 5 extra minutes. Visually impaired candidates who opted for a scribe get a passage reader.
- CHSL: PwD candidates certified by a Civil Surgeon as unable to type can be exempted from the LDC/JSA typing test. This doesn't cover visually or hearing impaired candidates, and there is no exemption from the DEO skill test.
- CGL: PwBD-OH candidates can be exempted from DEST with the certificate in Annexure-XIV, but not for posts that need a higher DEST standard or Computer Proficiency. Tax Assistant in CBDT is the one exception.
Compare these with other exams on the government typing test requirements page.
How to prepare for the SSC typing test
Start with one full attempt at your exam's settings, then read the marked passage. It tells you whether speed, accuracy or losing your place is costing you. The SSC CHSL typing test preparation guide walks through that for CHSL, and how to increase typing speed for government exams covers the speed side.
The notices don't include past typing passages, so practise on passages you haven't seen before. Repeating the same text makes your speed look better than it will be in the exam. A 10-minute typing test matches the CHSL time limit.
For Hindi, learn where every character sits on your layout before chasing speed. The Hindi keyboard key chart shows InScript and Remington GAIL side by side, and the typing lessons start from the home row.
Practise for your SSC typing test
SSC typing test FAQs
What typing speed is required for SSC CHSL?
35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi, typed in 10 minutes. SSC says these match about 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour.
What typing speed is required for SSC CGL?
The CGL Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) gives a passage of about 2,000 key depressions to type in 15 minutes. Some posts, such as Tax Assistant and Assistant Section Officer, are held to a higher standard.
Is the SSC typing test qualifying?
Yes. You have to pass it, but its marks are not added to your merit. The merit list comes from your Tier-II section marks.
How many errors are allowed in the SSC CGL typing test?
The CGL 2026 notice sets the maximum errors in DEST at 20% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 30% for all other categories. Posts that need a higher DEST standard get a stricter cut-off set by SSC.
Can I give the SSC CHSL typing test in Hindi?
Yes, for LDC and JSA. You pick Hindi or English in the application form and can't change it later. Hindi typing must be done in Mangal font; any other font means you don't qualify.
Who is exempt from the SSC typing test?
In CHSL, PwD candidates certified by a Civil Surgeon as unable to type can be exempted from the LDC/JSA typing test, but nobody is exempt from the DEO skill test. In CGL, PwBD-OH candidates can be exempted from DEST with the required certificate, except for posts that need a higher DEST standard or Computer Proficiency, apart from Tax Assistant in CBDT.
Are past SSC typing test paragraphs available?
The notices don't include past typing passages. Practise on unfamiliar passages of exam length instead, so your result shows how you type on text you haven't seen.
Sources, checked 14 September 2026: SSC CHSL 2026 notice, sections 13.9.13 and 17.6 (pages 19 to 20); SSC CGL 2026 notice, sections 13.9.9, 13.9.10 and 16 (pages 28 to 30 and 41 to 42). Stenographer timings checked 8 September 2026 against the SSC Stenographer 2026 notice, section 15.1. This is independent practice content, not an official SSC page. Your own notice and admit card decide the rules for your exam.