Practise every day for about 40 minutes, split between accuracy drills, timed tests and a short review, and change the focus each week: accuracy first, then speed, then stamina, then exam conditions. If you already type with all fingers at around 20 to 25 WPM, 30 days of steady work gives you a real chance at 35 WPM; from a standing start it usually takes longer, and that is fine.
35 WPM in English is the bar for SSC CHSL LDC/JSA (2026 notice), DSSSB LDC / Junior Assistant (2026) and Delhi High Court JJA (2026), all in a 10-minute test.
Your daily routine
| Part | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 5 min | Home-row and common-word drills, slowly and without looking down |
| Main work | 20 min | The focus of the week (see below) |
| Timed test | 10 min | One test on a passage you have not seen |
| Review | 5 min | Read your mistakes and note the keys and words that keep going wrong |
Week by week
Week 1 (days 1 to 7): accuracy and touch typing
Do not look at the keys, even if it makes you slower at first. Use lessons for the home row, top row and bottom row. Aim for very few mistakes rather than speed. Test your starting speed on day 1 so you can see the change later.
Week 2 (days 8 to 14): build speed in short bursts
Type one-minute bursts a little faster than feels comfortable, then rest. Drill the keys your results show as weakest, and practise common English words and figures. Keep the 10-minute test each day at a normal pace.
Week 3 (days 15 to 21): stamina
Move the main work to 10-minute passages, two a day. Many people start strong and fade after five minutes; the goal now is an even pace from start to finish. Watch your net speed, not just your gross speed.
Week 4 (days 22 to 30): exam conditions
Use exam mode for your exam, with its time and Backspace rule. No live highlighting, no pausing. Take one full test a day and on the last few days stop pushing for speed: steady and accurate wins.
Habits that slow you down
- Looking at the keyboard. Every glance down costs time and you lose your place in the passage.
- Fixing everything. Going back for each slip breaks your rhythm. Fix only what you notice at once.
- Only typing easy text. Exam passages have capitals, commas and numbers. Practise those too.
- Skipping days. Forty minutes every day beats three hours once a week.
- Poor setup. Sit upright with your feet flat, wrists level, and the screen at eye height. Take short breaks to rest your hands and eyes.
How to tell you are ready
You are close when your net speed sits at 35 WPM or more on three or four fresh passages in a row, not just once on a good day. A small margin above the bar gives you room for nerves on the day.
What to do next
Start with the typing lessons for week 1, use English typing for daily timed tests, and move to the SSC CHSL typing test or your own exam in week 4.