Typeshala for Lok Sewa: How to Prepare for the Government Job Typing Test (2026 Guide)

By Wilson Shrestha · Updated September 2026 · Around 14 min read

You cleared the Lok Sewa written exam. Congratulations. Now there is one more gate between you and the interview: the computer skill test (कम्प्युटर सीप परीक्षण). For most Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer and Computer Operator candidates, that test starts with typing a passage in Nepali and English within a fixed time.

Typeshala is still the tool most Nepali candidates use to get there. But Typeshala alone does not match the exam hall. The test is taken in MS Word on an unfamiliar keyboard, with a font someone else chose, and nobody highlights the next key for you. This guide shows you how to use Typeshala the right way for Lok Sewa, which keyboard layout to learn, what speed to aim for, and a six-week plan that bridges practice software and the real test.

What the Lok Sewa computer skill test actually checks

The Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog) runs the computer skill test after the written exam and before the interview for many non-technical posts. Provincial Lok Sewa Aayogs run similar tests for their own Kharidar and Nayab Subba level posts.

The test usually has two parts:

• Typing: you type a given passage in Nepali and in English within a fixed time. Your speed and errors are measured.
• Office tasks: you format a document in MS Word, enter data or use simple formulas in Excel, and sometimes build a short PowerPoint. Section Officer candidates are generally expected to know more Excel, PowerPoint and internet basics than Kharidar candidates.

Most candidates only prepare the typing part and then panic at the Word or Excel task. Treat both parts as one test. I cover the office side briefly further down.

Tasks vary by notice and by provincial commission. Use this table as a planning guide, not an official syllabus. The official source is always the notice on psc.gov.np or your provincial Lok Sewa Aayog website.

How fast do you need to type for Lok Sewa?

This is the question everyone asks, and it is where most websites get careless. Different prep sites quote different numbers, and some present them as if they were fixed rules. They are not. The required speed, time and marking are set in the skill test notice for each advertisement, and they can change between cycles and between federal and provincial commissions.

What prep sites commonly report as targets:

Why practise above the requirement? Because your exam speed will drop. A new keyboard, a timer, a quiet hall and an invigilator behind you easily cost 15 to 25 percent. If you hit the cutoff only on your own laptop at home, you are cutting it too close.

Preeti, Traditional Unicode, Romanized or InScript: which layout should you learn?

This is the biggest content gap I found in other Typeshala guides. Some say Lok Sewa uses Preeti. Others say it has moved to InScript Unicode. A few recommend Romanized typing. They can’t all be right for your exam, and learning the wrong one costs you weeks.

Here is the practical way to think about it:

The one Preeti vs Unicode difference that catches people

On a typewriter and in Preeti, you type the ि (hrasva i) matra before the consonant, because that is how it looks on paper. Many Unicode Traditional keyboards follow logical Unicode order and expect ि after the consonant instead. The reph (र्) can also behave differently. Spend one practice session typing words like किताब, निर्णय and कार्यालय in both Preeti and Kalimati so you know how your exam keyboard handles them.

Which Typeshala should you use?

“Typeshala” is now a family of tools, not one program. The original is small Windows freeware that taught a generation of Nepali typists. Since then, several free online versions have appeared. Here is how they compare for exam prep:

The winning approach uses all three: Typeshala to learn, online tests to measure, and MS Word to rehearse.

• Get the desktop version here: free download Nepali and English Typeshala for Windows PC.
• If the old program misbehaves on your laptop, try one of these Typeshala alternatives for Windows 11.

Set up your computer for Lok Sewa typing practice in 10 minutes

1. Install Typeshala. Use the desktop version for daily lessons, or an online version if you practise on different computers.
2. Install the fonts. Get Kalimati for Unicode (free download Kalimati font) and install Preeti too, so you can switch if the exam uses it.
3. Add a Nepali Unicode Traditional keyboard. This lets you type Unicode Nepali in Word with the same key positions you learn in Typeshala. Keep English (US) as your second keyboard.
4. Learn the switch shortcut. On Windows it is usually Windows key + Space or Alt + Shift. You will switch between English and Nepali many times during the test.
5. Open a blank MS Word file and set the font to Kalimati (or Preeti) at size 12 to 14. This is your “exam hall” for later weeks.

6-week Typeshala training plan for Lok Sewa

None of the competitor pages I reviewed gives a timed plan. Here is one that works for a beginner practising 45 to 60 minutes a day. If you already type, start at week 3.

Tip: keep a simple log (date, WPM, accuracy, mistakes you repeated). Candidates who track numbers see where they are stuck. Candidates who don’t just “practise” for weeks without improving. For finger-level drills, see my tips to increase typing speed in Typeshala.

How WPM is counted, and why Nepali feels slower

Most typing tools count one “word” as 5 keystrokes, including spaces. So:

• Gross WPM = (total keystrokes ÷ 5) ÷ minutes
• Net WPM = gross WPM minus a penalty for uncorrected errors
• Accuracy = correct keystrokes ÷ total keystrokes × 100

Nepali needs more keystrokes per visible letter. A word like कार्यालय uses the Shift key, a half letter and a reph. That is why your Nepali WPM will always look lower than your English WPM. It is also why a skill test examiner may count actual words in your output instead of keystrokes. Practise both ways: check your score in Typeshala, and count the words you produced in Word.

Bridging Typeshala to the exam hall

Typeshala highlights the next key, shows a keyboard on screen and gives instant feedback. The exam gives you none of that. These steps close the gap:

1. Hide the on-screen keyboard early

From week 3, turn off the keyboard guide in Typeshala or cover it with a sticky note. If you need it, you haven’t learned the key yet.

2. Practise on unfamiliar keyboards

Exam centres use desktop keyboards. If you learned on a laptop, spend some sessions on a desktop keyboard at a cyber café, office or friend’s house. Key travel and spacing feel different.

3. Type from paper, not from screen

Many tests hand you a printed passage. Print a few paragraphs and type from paper so your eyes learn to track the text without losing your place.

4. Use government-style Nepali

Typeshala sentences are simple. Real passages use official vocabulary: कार्यालय, निर्देशन, सम्बन्धित, व्यवस्थापन, प्रतिवेदन. Copy paragraphs from Gorkhapatra or published government notices to get used to longer conjuncts.

5. Practise the office tasks

Spend at least 20 minutes a day in the last two weeks on these:

• Word: font and size change, bold/italic/underline, alignment, line spacing, page margins, inserting a table, header and footer, page numbers, saving with a given file name.
• Excel: entering data, SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, percentage formulas, sorting, simple charts, cell formatting.
• PowerPoint (mainly Section Officer): new slides, layouts, inserting a picture or table, simple transitions.

Common mistakes Lok Sewa candidates make

• Chasing speed before accuracy. A fast passage full of errors can score worse than a slower clean one.
• Hunting and pecking in Nepali. Looking at the keyboard caps you at around 15 WPM. Touch typing is the only way past it.
• Learning Romanized only. It is comfortable, but it may not be available or allowed on the exam computer.
• Never leaving Typeshala. Candidates who only practise inside Typeshala often freeze in MS Word.
• Ignoring English. Many candidates assume English is easy and lose marks on it.
• Not checking the notice. Layout, font, time and speed are in the notice. Read it the day it is published.

From my desk: what I see when people prepare

As a web developer in Kathmandu, I often get asked by friends and relatives to “set up Nepali typing” on their laptops before a Lok Sewa skill test. The same three problems come up almost every time:

• The font is installed, but the keyboard isn’t. People install Kalimati and expect to type Nepali. The font only displays text. You also need a Nepali keyboard layout added in Windows. This guide walks through it: how to install Nepali font on Windows 11.
• Old Typeshala won’t run properly on a new laptop. Compatibility mode usually fixes it (see Typeshala not opening on Windows 11). If not, an online Typeshala or a Windows 11 alternative does the same job.
• They practised in Preeti and the exam computer had Unicode (or the other way round). This is why I recommend learning the Traditional key positions and practising in both fonts at least once a week.

The candidates who do best are not the ones with the fastest home speed. They are the ones who rehearsed the exam setting: a timer, a printed passage, MS Word, and a keyboard that wasn’t theirs.

Test-day checklist

• Admit card and ID, collected and checked the day before.
• Arrive early. Test the keyboard, check which Nepali layout and font are set, and ask the invigilator before the timer starts if anything is unclear.
• Adjust chair height and screen before you begin. Wrists straight, feet flat.
• Read the instruction sheet fully: file name, where to save, font, time.
• Type steadily. Do not stop to fix every small error unless instructed; keep your rhythm.
• Save your file frequently with Ctrl + S and use the exact file name given.

Frequently asked questions

Is Typeshala enough to pass the Lok Sewa typing test?

Typeshala is enough to learn touch typing and build speed. It is not enough on its own to prepare for the exam setting. Move your practice into MS Word with a timer in the final two weeks and practise the Word and Excel tasks too.

Which font is used in the Lok Sewa computer skill test, Preeti or Kalimati?

Both appear in practice. Preeti was the long-standing standard, and Unicode fonts like Kalimati are increasingly used. The notice or the instruction sheet on the day tells you. Learn the Traditional key positions so you can handle either.

How many words per minute are needed for Kharidar or Nayab Subba?

Prep sites commonly report Nepali requirements in the 20 to 35 WPM range and English in the 30 to 40 WPM range. The official requirement is in the skill test notice for your advertisement, so confirm it there and practise above it.

Can I use Romanized Nepali typing in the Lok Sewa exam?

Do not count on it. Exam computers are set up by the commission, and Romanized input may not be installed or allowed. Learn the Traditional layout unless your notice clearly allows Romanized.

How long does it take to learn Nepali typing for Lok Sewa?

A complete beginner practising 45 to 60 minutes daily can usually reach 25 to 35 Nepali WPM in about six weeks. If you already know the layout, two to three weeks of focused speed and exam practice is often enough.

Does Typeshala work on Windows 11?

The classic Typeshala often runs on Windows 11, sometimes with compatibility mode. If it doesn’t, use an online Typeshala or one of the Typeshala alternatives for Windows 11.

Is English typing also tested in the Lok Sewa skill test?

Yes, for most posts the typing test includes both Nepali and English passages. Typeshala has English lessons too, so train both from week one.

Final word

The Lok Sewa typing test is not hard, but it is unforgiving if you only practise one way. Use Typeshala to build clean touch typing on the Traditional layout, measure yourself with timed tests, then rehearse in MS Word with Preeti and Kalimati until the exam hall feels like just another practice session. Start today with the Typeshala download and the Kalimati font, and follow the six-week plan above.

Disclaimer: speed ranges and test formats in this article come from published prep resources and practical experience. Lok Sewa Aayog and provincial commissions set the official requirements in each notice. Always follow your official notice.