SSC CGL DEST typing test: format and free practice

The Combined Graduate Level exam is the main route into central government clerical and inspector grades. For a set of posts, mainly Tax Assistant in the income tax and customs departments, candidates must also clear a Data Entry Speed Test, known as DEST. The rules below are widely published; verify them in the current notification.

Format

DEST is a 15-minute computer-based test. Candidates are given a printed English passage of about 2,000 key depressions and type it into a text box. The published standard is 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes, which works out to 8,000 key depressions per hour, or roughly 27 words per minute. In recent cycles the DEST has been held as a module within Tier 2 rather than as a separate skill test; check your notification for where it sits.

The passage is ordinary official English: sentences with capitals, commas, figures and the occasional bracket. There is no formatting to apply. You type the text exactly as printed.

How it is scored

DEST is qualifying only. Marks are not added to your merit total. The commission counts your key depressions after deducting for mistakes and checks whether the result meets the standard. The published instructions describe how errors are penalised and the error percentage above which a candidate is not qualified. Candidates often report that reaching 2,000 key depressions is manageable for most touch typists, and that the error cap is what separates those who qualify from those who do not.

Some notifications exempt candidates with certain disabilities from DEST on production of the required certificate. Check the exemption clause if it applies to you.

Common mistakes

• Assuming DEST is a formality and not practising at all. It is not a hard test, but it is a real one.
• Practising only words-per-minute prose and never counting key depressions on a mixed passage.
• Losing track of your place when moving your eyes between the printed sheet and the screen.
• Typing figures and punctuation from the number row with the eyes on the keyboard.
• Not knowing the error rules. Some candidates waste time on heavy correction that was not needed; others leave errors they could have fixed.

Two-week practice plan

Our government-exam typing format gives you a timed test on exam-style passages with key depressions, net speed and error percentage shown together. Set the timer to 15 minutes for DEST.

1. Days 1 to 3: one 15-minute test a day. Note your key depressions and error rate. Most candidates start above 2,000 KD but with too many errors.
2. Days 4 to 7: focus on accuracy. Type slower if needed and bring errors under 3 percent. Add five minutes of number-row drills.
3. Days 8 to 11: type from a printed sheet. Practise keeping your place with a finger or ruler on the page.
4. Days 12 to 14: one full test a day under exam conditions. Target 2,300 key depressions or more with a low error rate so you have a margin on the day.

Note: the figures on this page are the widely published rules; verify every one of them in the current official notification before you sit the test.