Typing Test Preparation for Clerk and Computer Operator Posts

For posts like Junior Clerk and Junior Computer Operator, PPSC calls candidates who pass the written test for a typing test. Many people leave typing practice until after the written result, and then find themselves trying to build a skill in a few weeks. Typing improves slowly, so starting early makes a real difference.

Check your own advertisement or call letter for the exact speed and format required, as these can differ between posts.

Why technique matters more than speed (at first)

If you type with two fingers while looking at the keyboard, you can reach a moderate speed but will hit a ceiling quickly. Touch typing (all ten fingers, eyes on the screen) feels slower for the first week or two, but it is the only way to become both fast and accurate.

The home row

Rest your fingers on the home row:

• Left hand: A S D F (index finger on F)
• Right hand: J K L ; (index finger on J)

Most keyboards have small bumps on F and J so you can find them without looking. Each finger is responsible for the keys above and below its home key.

A daily practice routine (20–30 minutes)

1. 5 minutes: home-row and finger-placement drills
2. 10–15 minutes: typing ordinary paragraphs, in English and Urdu if your test may include both
3. 5 minutes: a timed test to track your speed and accuracy

Consistency beats intensity. Twenty minutes every day is far more effective than two hours once a week.

Accuracy first, then speed

Most typing tests penalize mistakes, so a fast but error-filled result can score worse than a slower, accurate one.

• Aim for at least 95% accuracy before pushing for speed.
• When you make a mistake, slow down slightly rather than rushing to correct it.
• Speed comes naturally once accuracy is stable.

Practise in the format you will be tested in

• Practise on a standard desktop keyboard, not only a laptop, if the test will use desktops.
• Get used to typing from printed text as well as from the screen.
• Practise in MS Word, as many offices and tests use it. Learn basic formatting shortcuts too; our MS Word shortcuts guide lists the common ones.

Urdu typing

If your post may require Urdu typing, practise with the keyboard layout used in your test (often a phonetic Urdu layout). Ask or check in advance, because switching layouts on test day is very difficult.

On test day

• Arrive early so you are not rushed or nervous.
• Adjust the chair and screen before you start; poor posture slows you down.
• Read the instructions carefully: some tests count errors strictly, others allow corrections.
• Do not panic over a mistake. Keep going steadily.

Start now, not after the result

If your written test is still weeks away, start typing practice alongside your study. Twenty minutes a day for a couple of months will leave you calm and ready when the typing test call arrives.