Home Row Keys and Finger Placement - Touch Typing Basics
Touch typing starts with eight fingers on the home row. Learn the home row keys, which finger presses which key, and the drills that build speed from day one.
Every week, a new student walks into a typing class and asks the same question: "Sir, Krutidev seekhun ya Mangal?" It is the right question to ask, because Hindi typing is not one skill. It is at least two different keyboard systems, and the one you choose decides which exams you can comfortably appear for.
In this article we will clear up the confusion between Krutidev, Mangal, Inscript and Remington, explain how they relate to each other, and help you choose based on the exam you are targeting.
First, fonts vs keyboard layouts
Most confusion comes from mixing up two different things.
- A font decides how characters look and how they are stored in the file.
- A keyboard layout decides which key produces which character.
Krutidev and Mangal are fonts. Inscript and Remington are keyboard layouts. They became linked because of history:
- Krutidev 010 is a legacy, non-Unicode font. Its characters are mapped onto English letters, so typing Krutidev means following the typewriter-style arrangement that the font was designed for. That arrangement is what exams call the Remington GAIL layout.
- Mangal is a Unicode Devanagari font. It is typically typed using the Inscript layout, the Government of India standard keyboard for Indian scripts.
So when people say "Krutidev typing" they usually mean the Remington GAIL layout, and when they say "Mangal typing" they usually mean Inscript. Keep this in mind for the rest of this guide.
Quick comparison table
| Feature | Krutidev / Remington GAIL | Mangal / Inscript |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Mechanical Hindi typewriters | Government of India standard for Indian scripts |
| Encoding | Non-Unicode (legacy font) | Unicode |
| Key logic | Typewriter-based, memorised by frequency | Phonetic grouping, vowels left and consonants right |
| Short i-matra (ि) | Typed before the consonant with the 'f' key | Typed after the consonant, in spoken order |
| Reph (र्) | 'Z' key, typed after the letter it sits on | Typed as र + halant before the consonant |
| Halant (्) | Mostly built into half-letter keys | 'd' key |
| Works on web and mobile | Needs the font installed, text may not display elsewhere | Displays correctly almost everywhere |
| Common in | Many state exams in UP, Rajasthan, MP, Bihar | Central exams and newer computer-based tests |
How Remington GAIL (Krutidev) works
The Remington layout comes from the days of mechanical typewriters. Letters were placed to suit typewriter mechanics and frequency of use, not phonetic logic. When Krutidev 010 was designed for computers, it kept that arrangement, and the layout became known as Remington GAIL.
A few examples that show the typewriter logic:
- 'k' types the aa-matra (ा) and 'd' types क, so कार starts with d, k, j.
- 'f' types the short i-matra (ि), and you press it before the consonant. To type कि you press f then d, exactly as it appears visually.
- 'Z' types the reph (र्) that sits on top of a letter, and you press it after that letter. That is why words like धर्म and कर्म feel different to type here.
- Many half letters have their own keys, so you do not need a halant for common conjuncts.
Strengths
- Very fast once mastered, because common letters sit under strong fingers.
- Huge pool of trained typists and institutes, especially in north Indian states.
- Widely accepted in state-level exams.
Weaknesses
- Illogical at first. You simply have to memorise it.
- Krutidev text is not Unicode. If you paste it into a website or send it on WhatsApp, it shows up as English gibberish unless the other person has the font. You would need a Krutidev to Unicode converter to fix it.
How Mangal Inscript works
Inscript was designed as a standard for all Indian scripts, so the same key positions work across Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati and others. It follows the structure of the Devanagari alphabet.
- Vowels and matras are on the left side of the keyboard. For example, 'e' types ा, 'f' types ि, 'r' types ी, 's' types े.
- Consonants are on the right side. For example, 'k' types क, 'j' types र, 'h' types प, 'l' types त.
- 'd' types the halant (्), which you use to build conjuncts. क + ् + ष gives क्ष.
- Aspirated letters are generally reached with Shift on the same key as their unaspirated partner, so क and ख share a key.
You type in the order you speak. For कि you press क and then ि. For प्रेम you type प, halant, र, े, म.
Strengths
- Logical and easier to learn from scratch.
- Unicode output works everywhere: government portals, email, documents, websites and phones.
- Increasingly used in central government and computer-based exams.
Weaknesses
- Conjuncts take more keystrokes because of the halant.
- Fewer old-school typing institutes teach it well, although this is changing.
Which exam uses which layout?
This is the part that matters most for your preparation. Exam rules are defined in each notification, so treat the table below as a general guide and always confirm with the latest official notification.
| Exam type | What is commonly accepted |
|---|---|
| UP state exams (UPSSSC, Allahabad High Court) | Krutidev / Remington is commonly used; some allow Mangal |
| Rajasthan (RSMSSB LDC, Rajasthan High Court) | Krutidev / Remington and Mangal options are commonly seen |
| MP (CPCT and CPCT-based recruitments) | Inscript or Remington (GAIL) options in CPCT |
| Bihar (civil court, Patna High Court) | Krutidev / Remington is common; check the notification |
| Central exams (SSC and similar) | Increasingly Unicode and Inscript based; check the software options |
A practical rule of thumb:
- If your target is one specific state exam that clearly accepts Krutidev, Remington GAIL is a safe choice.
- If you want maximum flexibility across central and state exams, or you also need Hindi typing for office work, Inscript is the more future-proof choice.
Before you commit months of practice, open the official notification or mock test of your target exam and check exactly which Hindi layout options it offers. Five minutes of checking can save you three months of wrong practice.
Can you learn both?
You can, but not at the same time. The two layouts put the same Hindi letters on completely different keys, and your fingers will get confused if you switch daily. Reach a steady exam-level speed in one layout first, then learn the second one as a separate project if you truly need it.
If you have already invested months in Krutidev and your exam accepts Remington GAIL, do not abandon it for Inscript just because Inscript is "modern". Speed and accuracy on exam day are what count.
How to start practising
- For Inscript, begin with the home row and matras. Our Hindi Mangal Inscript course takes you key by key.
- For Remington GAIL, focus first on the most frequent keys like ा, क, र, स, न and the pre-typed ि. The Hindi Remington GAIL course is structured around this.
- Once you know all keys, move to timed practice on the Hindi typing test and pick the layout you will use in the exam.
FAQs
Is Krutidev and Remington GAIL the same thing?
In practice, yes for typing purposes. The Remington GAIL keyboard follows the Krutidev 010 font layout, so if you can type in Krutidev you can type in Remington GAIL.
Which is easier to learn, Inscript or Krutidev?
Most beginners find Inscript easier because it follows the order of the Devanagari alphabet and the order in which you speak. Krutidev needs more memorisation but can be very fast once learned.
Why does my Krutidev text look like English letters on other computers?
Krutidev is a non-Unicode font. The text is actually stored as English characters and only looks like Hindi when the Krutidev font is applied. Converting it to Unicode fixes this.
Which Hindi typing layout is best for government exams?
It depends on the exam. Many state exams accept Krutidev or Remington, while central exams increasingly use Inscript and Unicode. Check the notification of your target exam before choosing.
Can I switch from Krutidev to Inscript later?
Yes, but expect to start almost from zero on speed because the key positions are completely different. Plan several weeks of focused practice for the switch.
Not sure which layout suits you? Try a few minutes on both our Mangal Inscript typing test and Krutidev typing test and see which one feels more natural.