The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section serves as the ultimate equaliser in CAT 2026, where engineers meet humanity students on equal footing, and reading skill determines IIM destinies. Comprising 24 questions in a strict 40-minute window—16 RC questions (70-75% weightage) and 8 VA questions—this section separates the 99+ percentilers from the pack through inference-heavy passages and tricky para jumbles. Unlike QA’s formulaic approach or DILR’s pattern recognition, VARC demands cultivated reading stamina, structural analysis, and elimination mastery, making consistent practice non-negotiable for top IIM calls where sectional cutoffs often exceed 90 percentiles. For Route99 students, transforming VARC vulnerability to victory weapon starts with understanding its predictable patterns and daily reading discipline. 

What is VARC? 

The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section forms the first and most decisive part of CAT 2026, comprising 24 questions to be solved within a strict 40-minute limit. Dominated by Reading Comprehension (70-75% weightage), VARC features 4 passages (400-500 words each) spanning diverse themes—economy, philosophy, science, history, and social issues—accompanied by 4 inference-heavy MCQs per passage. The remaining 8 Verbal Ability questions test structural English through Para Jumbles (identify sequence), Odd Sentence Out (spot intruder), Para Summary (capture essence in 1/3rd words), and Para Completion (logical continuation), blending 4-5 TITA questions with no negative marking. 

Unlike QA’s mathematical precision or DILR’s pattern logic, VARC evaluates cultivated reading stamina, structural analysis, and elimination mastery rather than rote vocabulary or grammar rules. Recent trends indicate that moderate-difficulty RC passages require 65-70% inference-based comprehension, where direct fact questions constitute only 30%. VA questions emphasise logical flow—specifically, mandatory pairs in Para Jumbles, summary elimination, and odd-sentence detection. 

Scoring 99+ percentile requires 16-18 attempts with 85% accuracy, translating to 50-55 marks. Sectional cutoffs for top IIMs hover at 85-90 percentile, making VARC the ultimate equalizer where humanities students often outperform engineers. The section’s predictability—fixed 16 RC + 8 VA questions format—rewards consistent reading habits over unpredictable DILR sets. 

Why VARC Matters 

VARC serves as CAT’s ultimate equalizer, where humanities students frequently outscore engineers and reading stamina directly correlates with IIM shortlists. Top IIMs demand 85-90+ sectional percentiles alongside 98-99+ overall scores, making VARC non-negotiable—even a single weak section eliminates candidates during cutoff filtering. Unlike QA’s formula dependency or DILR’s unpredictable sets, VARC rewards cultivated skills: consistent reading builds inference speed, structural analysis master’s para jumbles, and elimination techniques secure summary questions. 

Strategic Advantages: 

• Non-Engineer Edge: 70%+ test-takers from engineering backgrounds struggle with RC inference (60% questions), creating opportunity gaps 

• High ROI Scoring: 16-18 attempts at 85% accuracy = 50-55 marks, often deciding IIM-A/B/C vs lower-tier calls 

• Career Synergy: Daily reading habit translates to GDPI excellence, annual reports analysis, and client presentations post-MBA 

• Predictable Format: Fixed 16 RC + 8 VA questions structure allows precise preparation timelines 

Real Impact: Average IIM placement packages exceed ₹32LPA, with consulting giants (McKinsey, BCG) prioritizing strong communicators. Consistent VARC practice doesn’t just boost percentiles—it builds the communication foundation essential for C-suite trajectories. 

How to prepare for VARC 

The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section in CAT preparation centers on developing reading stamina and structural English mastery from consistent daily practice. Nearly 70-75% of CAT’s VARC paper revolves around Reading Comprehension across diverse passages, making inference skills and passage comprehension the foundation of CAT success. 

However, many candidates—particularly engineers—often struggle with: “How do I tackle RC passages under time pressure?” With recent CAT VARC trends emphasizing inference-heavy questions (60%+), building reading speed, structural analysis, and elimination techniques now determine success in scoring 45+ marks. 

As VARC remains CAT’s most reading-intensive section, strategic passage selection and VA question prioritisation can dramatically boost your sectional percentile. Prioritise daily RC practice to develop stamina, master para jumble patterns, and dominate high-yield areas like inference-based comprehension and summary questions. 

Exam Pattern of VARC for CAT 2026 

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension has a particular exam pattern.  By understanding the pattern, it is easy for aspirants to learn VARC strategically and plan accordingly.    

Preparation Tips For VARC 

Basic grammatical understanding: CAT VARC doesn’t demand complex grammar rules but requires solid basic structural English proficiency essential for Para Jumbles, Odd Sentence detection, and Para Completion questions. Candidates must master sentence connectors (however, therefore, moreover), parallel structure (consistent verb tenses), and logical flow between clauses to decode 80% of VA questions accurately. Focus on five fundamentals: subject-verb agreement for singular/plural consistency, tense sequence using past perfect for earlier events, clear pronoun reference with identifiable antecedents, proper modifier placement to avoid dangling constructions, and punctuation logic where semicolons join independent clauses. Daily practice involves reading 2 editorials, underlining connectors, and analyzing sentence structure patterns. 

Sharpen the verbal reasoning: Verbal reasoning forms the analytical backbone of CAT VARC, transforming passive reading into active structural decoding essential for para jumbles, odd sentence identification, and summary questions. Candidates must develop the ability to detect logical flow breaks, identify mandatory sentence pairs, and eliminate structurally inconsistent options within 60 seconds per question. Sharpening verbal reasoning involves recognising cohesive devices, parallel construction patterns, and argument progression across sentences, enabling rapid sequence reconstruction in para jumbles and intruder detection in odd sentence questions. 

Strong Vocabulary: Although it’s a highly underrated factor, strong vocabulary is immensely helpful in solving the Reading Comprehension. While CAT VARC doesn’t test direct vocabulary, a strong word bank accelerates Reading Comprehension speed and enhances Para Summary precision by unlocking nuanced passage meanings. Focus on contextual learning through daily reading (The Hindu, Aeon)—target 15-20 sophisticated words daily rather than rote memorization. Master tone words (assertive, tentative, critical), inference triggers (implied, suggests), and transition vocabulary (consequently, nevertheless) that dominate RC questions. Practice root words (bene=good, dict=speak) and prefixes/suffixes for rapid unfamiliar word decoding.  

Diversity in reading: Students are advised to read novels, newspapers, and editorials to boost their vocabulary, but some students read novels on a topic that is irrelevant to their preparation. Topics like Philosophy, Economics, Geography, and Science are advisable to read to strengthen the vocabulary and level up the understanding of RCs. Students should note down the important vocabulary and its meaning to understand the essence of the paragraph.   

Understanding the nature of universal trap options: There are some common traps that one should avoid during the preparation. Students should answer the question by considering the viewpoint of the paragraph and not their heartstrings. While finding out the essence of a paragraph, focus on a particular topic and do not be distracted by options that show too broad or too narrow essence. Stay focused and note down the key words during passage reading.  

Weightage of each topic of VARC 

High-Yield Topic in VARC 

1. RC Mastery 

Practice 3 RCs daily (15 mins each), prioritising tone detection over detail recall—identify assertive/critical/neutral stances via qualifiers (clearly, arguably, evidently). Map passage structure (claim-support-counter) within the first read to predict 70% question types. Use elimination techniques: reject extreme positions and out-of-scope options, boosting accuracy from 60% to 85%+. 

• Traps and Fixes 

Para Jumbles 

Target mandatory pairs first—spot cohesive devices (however/thus/consequently) and parallel grammatical structures linking 2-3 sentences. Identify opening sentences through topic introduction or pronoun absence. Practice connector mapping (contrast/addition/result) to sequence remaining sentences in under 60 seconds. 

• Traps & Fixes 

Para Summary 

Capture the main idea using scope markers (primarily/chiefly)—correct options to rephrase the paragraph core without examples. Eliminate new information options (absent from original text) and extreme language (always/never). Prioritize summaries preserving passage tone through appropriate qualifiers for consistent 3/4 scores. 

• Traps and Fixes 

Tips to remember while tackling RCs 

• Advanced Reading Technique: Active reading replaces passive skimming through structure mapping (claim → evidence → counterpoint → conclusion) completed in the first 90 seconds. Identify tone markers immediately: assertive (clearly, obviously), tentative (suggests, possibly), critical (flawed, problematic). Note pivot words (however, yet, despite) signalling argument shifts that generate 60% of inference questions. Mental one-sentence summary before questions anchors all answers. 

• Question-Wise Strategies 

• Main Idea/Tone: Author’s stance over content details—reject options stating facts without attitude. 

• Inference: Passage must support conclusions; eliminate “could be true” vs “must be true.” 

• Strengthen/Weaken: Test impact on core argument, ignore peripheral details. 

• Vocab-in-Context: Choose meaning fitting passage logic, not a dictionary definition. 

• Detail: Exact wording match required; paraphrases often trap partial matches. 

• Elimination Masterclass 

Systematically reject 

• Out-of-Scope (40% options): Facts beyond passage content 

• Extreme Language (25%): Always/never/only vs generally/often 

• Reverse Logic (20%): Flips passage relationship 

• Half-Truths (15%): True details missing main point 

• Time Optimisation Framework 

• Selection Hack: When 4 passages appear, scan first paragraphs (30 seconds), choosing science/economics over philosophy/literature for +3 marks advantage. 

• Practice Progression 

Week 1-4: 3 RCs daily × 4 types (science, society, business, abstract) 

 
Week 5-8: Mixed sets mimicking exam (24 questions, 40 mins) 

 
Week 9-12: Trap-focused (only wrong answer analysis) 

Best books for the preparation of VARC  

Best topic for preparation of RCs 

Conclusion:  

CAT VARC preparation thrives on abundant reading materials, online PYQs, and mock platforms, yet systematic pattern recognition and elimination mastery remain the true gamechangers. Unlike QA’s formula-driven approach, VARC rewards disciplined skill-building through daily RC structure mapping, Para Jumble pair identification, summary scope control, and full-length mocks refining speed-accuracy balance under exam pressure. Route99’s expert-led VARC Accelerator delivers conceptual workshops across high-weightage RC (70%), Para Summary (8-17%), and Jumbles, daily trap-elimination drills, personalized error logs, and CAT 2026-mirroring mock series. With Route99’s structured roadmap and consistent execution, aspirants convert VARC vulnerabilities into 99+ percentile dominance—enroll today to launch your IIM journey with Verbal mastery!