Based on the paper pattern of the CAT 2022 exam, the VARC section comprises 24 questions out of a total of 66 questions. These questions are divided into two subsections: reading comprehension and verbal ability. Reading comprehension holds a higher weightage with 16 questions while verbal ability comprises 8.
Given below are the tentative exam pattern and syllabus for the VARC section for CAT 2023-
Section |
Detail |
Total Questions for VARC |
24 |
Multiple-choice Questions |
21 |
Type in the Answer (TITA) questions |
3 |
Division of questions |
16 questions of RC- 4 passages having 4 questions each |
Total Time for Section |
40 minutes |
Main Topics |
Parajumbles, summary, facts, inferences, reading comprehension, etc. |
Marking Scheme |
+3 for a right answer |
Relatable much? Don't worry, after reading this page, you will have a clear understanding of how to go about the VARC section. Now we are in a position to actually answer how to begin VARC preparation for CAT.
The VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension) section is mainly dominated by reading comprehension, which constitutes roughly 67% of the section. The most effective and efficient way to improve your VARC scores is to understand the main idea behind the question and frame a preparation strategy around it. For example, while solving an RC passage, you might crossways with some complicated sentences. It can be said that some passages in CAT are mind-boggling for everyone, regardless of how much of a scholar the candidate has been. Apart from logic, the verbal section focuses on a candidate’s unexplored areas i.e basic academy grammar and complex vocabulary.
While solving an RC passage, try to make use of the “elimination strategy” i.e. eliminating answer options that are not relevant to the passage. To achieve mastery of this technique, you need to bolster your reading speed and practice more than 700+ RCs until the CAT Exam. Also, following the reverse technique i.e. looking at the answer options before looking at the passage can be of great help in hitting the correct answer. This strategy has observably been the most successful and preached by CAT 99 %ilers repeatedly. Here is how you go about it:
Avoid answers which are supported by the passage but don't answer the question being asked: As we said above, this is a very common wrong answer type, which is why it’s so important to make sure you fully understand what is asked in the question before selecting the answer.
These are a few insights about a good approach to the section-
To help candidates prepare for VARC for CAT, we have listed a few books that can be used for guidance alongside mock papers and previous years' papers.
MBA Entrance Exams |
No of Questions |
CAT |
24 |
XAT |
26 |
MAT |
40 |
SNAP |
15 |
CMAT |
25 |
IIFT |
35 |
ATMA |
60 |
MAH-CET |
50 |
In the end, don't be too harsh on yourself. Remember, in this exam, you have to play on your strengths and you will sail through. VARC for CAT is the first section, so it is imperative that you remain calm and collected because the other two sections will follow it. In this section, your strategy should be to answer the questions for reading comprehension as quickly as possible and strengthen your grammar and vocabulary for the VA section. Get into the habit of reading, garner more knowledge about current affairs and practice more mock tests.