Why the two layouts are not interchangeable, and how to check which one your exam allows.
If you are preparing for a Hindi typing test, the first decision is not how fast to type — it is which keyboard layout to learn. Inscript and Krutidev put Hindi letters on completely different keys, so skills from one do not carry over to the other. This guide explains how the two layouts differ, which exams use which, and how to choose without wasting months of practice.
Inscript is the standard Hindi keyboard layout defined for Indian languages and built into Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. It types Unicode text, which means the letters you type are stored as real Hindi characters. Any Unicode font can display them — Mangal is the font most exam software uses, which is why you often see "Inscript (Mangal)" in notifications.
The layout follows a clear logic. Vowel signs (matras) sit under your left hand and the most common consonants sit under your right. For example, the home row holds ो े ् ि ु on the left and प र क त च ट on the right. Once you learn this pattern, the rest of the keyboard is easier to remember.
Krutidev is an older, font-based layout that follows the Remington typewriter arrangement. It does not type Unicode: the computer stores ordinary English characters and the Krutidev font draws them as Hindi letters. If you copy Krutidev text into a document with a different font, it turns into meaningless English symbols.
Because it comes from the typewriter, Krutidev is typed in visual order. To write कि you press the key for ि first and then क — the opposite of Inscript. Many experienced typists learned on typewriters, which is why some state and court exams still use Krutidev or the Remington layout.
| Inscript | Krutidev | |
|---|---|---|
| Text type | Unicode (real Hindi characters) | Font-based (English characters shown as Hindi) |
| Common font | Mangal, or any Unicode font | Kruti Dev 010 |
| Order for कि | क then ि (as you pronounce it) | ि then क (as it looks) |
| Key arrangement | Vowel signs left, consonants right | Remington typewriter arrangement |
| Typically used in | Central exams such as SSC and RRB | Several state and court exams |
Remington Gail: Some exams offer "Remington Gail" or "Remington (GAIL)" as an option. It uses the typewriter key arrangement but types Unicode text. If your exam allows both Inscript and Remington Gail, choose the one you can practise consistently.
There is no single rule, and it can change from one recruitment cycle to the next. As a general pattern:
The only reliable source is the official notification for your exam. Look for words like "Inscript", "Remington", "Krutidev", "Mangal" or "Unicode" in the skill test section, and check again when the admit card or skill test notice is released.
You can, but not at the same time. Because the two layouts put the same letters on different keys and even use a different typing order, practising both in the same weeks confuses your muscle memory. Your speed in each stays low and your error rate goes up.
Pick the layout your target exam uses and practise only that one until you reach the required speed comfortably. If you later appear for an exam that uses the other layout, treat it as a separate skill and give yourself several weeks to switch.
TypingAbhyas Hindi tests use Inscript (Unicode, Mangal) and run in your browser — you do not need to install Hindi software or add a Windows keyboard. The on-screen keyboard map shows the next key as you type. Krutidev practice for state and court exams is coming soon.
If you have never typed Hindi before, you can start in Hinglish mode, where you type words in English letters and they turn into Hindi. It is a useful way to get comfortable with Hindi passages, but it is not an exam layout — move to Inscript as soon as you can.
Try a Hindi typing test in Inscript. SSC CHSL Hindi Typing Test
No. Mangal is a Unicode Hindi font. Exams that say "Mangal" usually mean Unicode typing with the Inscript layout, but read the notice to confirm which layout it names.
Neither is harder in itself. Inscript is easier to learn from scratch because of its logical vowel-left, consonant-right arrangement, while Krutidev suits people who learned on typewriters.
Not yet. Hindi tests currently use Inscript. Krutidev practice for state and court exams is coming soon.
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