As we all know that the CAT exam is challenging for preparation. It requires lot of hard work and efforts to crack this entrance exam to get in the Top IIMS. After you've put in the effort, learn some key tips and tricks that will come in handy on exam day.

 The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section is very important in the exam, and it is critical to prepare for it properly. To excel in the section, candidates must read newspapers, magazines, and novels on a regular basis; this improves vocabulary while also keeping you informed. However, reading a novel or a magazine in the final few days before the CAT exam is pointless. At this point, concentrating on verbal ability and grammar will help you perform well on the exam. CATking helps you in getting 99 percentile in VARC section.

Best course to score 99 percentile in VARC

What is Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension?

As the name implies, the VARC section covers Reading Comprehension as well as areas of Verbal Ability such as Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Find Odd Sentence Out. In CAT 2025, there were a total of 24 questions in this section, with 16 coming from RC passages and the remaining 8 from VA.

To achieve the 99th percentile in this section, you must correctly answer approximately 17 questions. If VARC is not your strong suit, your goal should be to get 12 to 15 questions correct with practice. This will easily place you in the 90+ percentile, and you can increase your score by focusing on your strengths.

Syllabus of Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

The VARC section is the first of the three sections to be solved in the exam. The section is divided into two parts: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. Take a look at the important topics and key points in this section.

  The topic-wise questions in CAT VACR are given in the table below.

Also read: Verbal ability stratgey guide

CAT 2026 Preparation: How to Do Well in VARC?

Pay attention to keywords

Many students face a problem when preparing for the Reading Comprehension (RC) section of the CAT exam: they are unable to easily decode the Reading Comprehension section. The trick here is to not understand each and every word of the comprehension. Surprising, but accurate.

All that is required is an understanding of the passage's main theme. If the passage is factual/data-based, write down the key figures on a rough page to use in answering the questions. At the same time, simply understanding the summary will not help. Make it a habit to eliminate unnecessary words, phrases, and sentences when preparing for the RC section of the CAT exam.

Time management is essential

No matter how well-prepared you are for the CAT exam, if the candidate does not manage his or her time properly, all of the preparation will be for naught. This year's exam will be only 120 minutes long, making it even more important for them to have a good time management strategy. Divide time for the given set of questions in the final week of CAT exam preparation. Once you've mastered time management, attempting the RC section will be a piece of cake.

Increase your reading speed

A fast reading speed will assist the candidate in finishing the CAT exam on time or early. Many students are unaware that moving their lips while reading slows the speed. Instead, go through the passage with a pen to keep your eyes, brain, and hand coordinated. Skimming and scanning are also shortcut techniques for passing the CAT reading comprehension section.

Online reading comprehension practice

Candidates must begin practicing reading comprehension passages online in the final week of CAT preparation. This will put them in the zone, and reading passages quickly onscreen in the exam will become second nature.

Experiment with various types of RC passages and questions

Candidates should have tried a variety of RC passages by the end of the week. Candidates must focus on the types of questions asked in RC during the final week before CAT 2026. If one can do the same, they will be able to manage any level of difficulty in a VARC section. 

Never fail to read the newspaper

Candidates must have read the newspaper on a daily basis. Do not believe that it is sufficient; continue practicing even in the final week of CAT preparation 2026.

In a dedicated time, solve crossword puzzles

Devote 15-20 minutes to crossword puzzles to gain expertise in solving word meanings, jumbled sentences, and jumbled paragraphs - this will be good practice for the final CAT exam.

Conclusion:

These are just a few pointers from our end. While practicing, you can develop your own CAT preparation strategy. While preparing, don't be afraid to try out new techniques. But don't be a gambler. Do not attempt questions that you are unsure of answering correctly.

There is negative marking in the CAT, and you do not want to risk losing important marks by taking chances. By following these hacks we are sure that you will be able to score 99 percentile in the VARC section.