Hindi Typing: Kruti Dev vs Mangal Font

Kruti Dev and Mangal are the two Hindi fonts you'll meet in government typing tests, and they are not the same. Kruti Dev is a "font-based" font that uses the Remington keyboard layout, the traditional Hindi typewriter layout. Mangal is a Unicode font, usually typed with the InScript layout that comes built into Windows. The catch: the same Hindi letter sits on a different key in each system. So if your exam uses Mangal and you practised only Kruti Dev, your fingers will be in the wrong place. Always find out which font your exam requires and practise exactly that one.

Why there are two systems

Hindi typing has history. For decades, Hindi was typed on Remington typewriters, and Kruti Dev carried that layout onto computers. It stores text as a special font, meaning the text only displays correctly if the Kruti Dev font is installed. Then Unicode arrived, a universal standard where Hindi text works everywhere without a special font, and Mangal became the standard Unicode Hindi font, typed with the InScript layout. Government exams have gradually shifted many posts from Kruti Dev (Remington) to Mangal (Unicode), but not all, which is why both still matter.

Kruti Dev (Remington layout)

• Type: font-based (non-Unicode). The text is really English characters displayed in a Hindi font.
• Layout: Remington, the old typewriter layout.
• Where it's used: many older and some current state exams and offices still use Kruti Dev.
• Note: because it's font-based, copying the text into a program without Kruti Dev shows gibberish. It also can't be searched like normal Hindi.

Mangal (Unicode, InScript layout)

• Type: Unicode. The text is real Hindi that works in any program, on any device, and can be searched.
• Layout: InScript, the standard Indian-language layout built into Windows.
• Where it's used: most newer government exams (like many SSC and central posts) require Mangal/Unicode.
• Note: Unicode is the modern standard, so learning Mangal/InScript is more future-proof.

The key difference (same letter, different key)

This is the part that trips people up. In Kruti Dev (Remington) and Mangal (InScript), a given Hindi letter is typed with different keys. The finger movements you memorise for one layout won't produce the right letters in the other. So the two are essentially different typing skills that both produce Hindi. Practising the wrong one is wasted effort for your specific exam.

How to know which one your exam needs

1. Read the official notification for your exam; it usually states the font/layout (Kruti Dev/Remington or Mangal/Unicode).
2. If it says Unicode or Mangal, practise InScript.
3. If it says Kruti Dev or Remington, practise that layout.
4. If both are allowed, choose Mangal/Unicode, since it's the modern standard and more widely useful.

Never assume; the requirement varies by exam, post and year.

Worked example (choosing your practice)

You're preparing for an SSC post whose notification says the Hindi typing test is in Mangal (Unicode). So you:

• Install/enable the Hindi InScript keyboard in Windows (Settings ▸ Time & Language ▸ Language ▸ add Hindi).
• Practise typing in Mangal using InScript, learning where each letter sits.
• Ignore Kruti Dev for this exam; it would only confuse your fingers.

If a different exam required Kruti Dev, you'd install Kruti Dev and practise the Remington layout instead.

Real-world scenario (why picking the right font decides the result)

Two candidates prepare for the same Hindi typing test. One reads the notification, sees "Mangal/Unicode", and practises InScript for a month. The other assumes "Hindi is Hindi" and practises Kruti Dev. On test day, the second candidate faces an InScript layout where every key produces a different letter than they practised, and fails, despite months of effort. This exact mistake fails many capable candidates every year. The lesson is simple and important: confirm the font first, then practise only that.

Pro tips

• Confirm the required font/layout from the official notification before you start practising.
• For Mangal, enable the Hindi InScript keyboard built into Windows; you don't need extra software.
• Practise full Hindi passages, not just words, since the test is a paragraph.
• If your career goal is broader (any government post), lean toward learning Mangal/Unicode, as it's the standard.

Common mistakes

• Practising the wrong font. Kruti Dev and Mangal use different keys; the wrong one wastes your preparation.
• Assuming the layout. Always check the notification; requirements vary by exam and year.
• Ignoring matras and conjuncts. Hindi has vowel signs and joined letters; practise these, not just basic consonants.
• Only typing words. The test uses paragraphs with punctuation; practise real passages.

Key takeaways

• Kruti Dev (Remington, font-based) and Mangal (Unicode, InScript) are different Hindi typing systems.
• The same letter sits on different keys, so you must practise the exact one your exam needs.
• Check the official notification for the required font/layout.
• If both are allowed, learn Mangal/Unicode, the modern, universal standard.

Practice task

Find the official notification for a Hindi-typing government exam you're targeting and note whether it needs Kruti Dev (Remington) or Mangal (Unicode/InScript). Then enable that layout on your computer and type a short Hindi paragraph in it.

Prepare for Hindi or English typing tests with the right layout and real practice at the Professional Typing Course at HCI.