What is the Raavi Font?
In Punjab government clerical and stenography exams (such as the PSSSB Clerk exam), the state requires typing in the **Raavi font**. Raavi is a standard **Unicode font** for the Gurmukhi script. Unlike older fonts (like Joy or Asees) which map Gurmukhi characters onto English layouts directly, Raavi complies with international Unicode standards. This means that each character has a unique code point, which prevents script garbling across systems.
Unicode vs. Legacy Fonts
Older typing tutors utilized fonts like **Asees** which worked by simply changing standard English characters into Gurmukhi shapes visually (e.g. typing "a" produces "ੳ"). Unicode fonts like **Raavi** require activating a Gurmukhi input editor (IME) in your operating system. Pressing "d" on the keyboard inputs the actual Gurmukhi character "ਅ" as a native code point.
The Punjabi InScript Keyboard Layout
The layout used to type in Raavi font is the **InScript layout** (short for Indian Script). This keyboard layout is standardized by the Government of India for all regional languages. It is highly optimized for fast typing because all vowels (Matras) are grouped on the left hand, and consonants are mapped to the right hand.
How to type conjunct characters (Half-Letters)
In Punjabi, sub-joined characters (like a half-Haha in "ਪ੍ਰ" or half-Rara in "ਪ੍ਰੇਮ") are typed by combining consonants with the **Halant** (ਕੰਨ੍ਹ/ਹਲੰਤ) key, which is mapped to the **d** key on standard QWERTY keyboards:
- Type the main consonant first (e.g., **ਪ**).
- Press the **d** key (Halant/੍).
- Type the sub-joined letter (e.g., **ਰ** or **ਹ**). The system will automatically weld them together.
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