CAT 2026 VARC Strategy to Score 30+ Marks & Get 95+ Percentile

If you're looking to achieve 95+ percentiles for the VARC section of the CAT 2026 exam, the preparation process should begin at a very early date. There is no quick way to mastering this part. The best method to increase performance in your VARC efficiency is to establish a solid habit of reading.

The CAT 2026 exam is set to take place in the 29th of November. This makes it the ideal time to start preparation for VARC. Reading regularly will allow you to get comfortable with difficult passages, and help you improve your understanding abilities.

To improve your comprehension begin reading thoroughly and delve into the subjects that are frequently covered in CAT RC questions. Also, you should go through past exam papers to get a better understanding of the structure and difficulty of VARC questions.

If you look through earlier CAT exams, you'll notice that the Reading Comprehension (RC) passages come from a wide range of topics. Many of these passages are taken from specialized or niche fields, which is why some words and concepts may appear unfamiliar to candidates.

To improve your understanding and perform well in the VARC section, it is important to read different types of content such as books, essays, articles, and research papers from diverse subjects. This helps you become comfortable with various writing styles and complex ideas.

Important RC Topics for CAT VARC Preparation

• Technology, Industry, and Science
• Psychology and Philosophy
• Society, Humans, and Culture
• Politics, Law, and Crime
• Economy and Business
• Fiction and Literature

Reading content from a wide range of subjects will help you adapt to different writing styles, improve comprehension speed, and increase familiarity with complex topics commonly seen in CAT RC passages.

Reading alone is not always enough to improve comprehension. While reading, you should also focus on understanding different interpretations of the same paragraph and identifying the overall context of the passage.

Whether the text is fiction or non-fiction, concentrate on finding the main idea of the passage and understanding the significance of each sentence within it. This approach helps improve analytical thinking and comprehension skills required for competitive exams.

At the same time, work on improving your vocabulary. Keep a dictionary nearby and check the meaning of unfamiliar words. Also review their synonyms, antonyms, and usage in sentences.

Developing a stronger vocabulary will help you understand passages more easily and improve your reading speed and accuracy during exams.

MBA experts usually recommend reading a variety of books to improve English comprehension, vocabulary, and reading speed. Reading across different genres helps candidates become familiar with multiple writing styles and complex ideas commonly seen in the CAT VARC section.

Reading a diverse range of books helps improve your vocabulary, comprehension ability, and reading speed, which are essential skills for performing well in the CAT VARC section.

After establishing a consistent reading routine, the next step is to begin regular practice. Candidates should practice different types of VARC questions such as Reading Comprehension passages, parajumbles, odd-sentence-out questions, and paragraph summaries.

Since the CAT exam is a time-bound test, it is important not to spend too much time on a single question or passage. Candidates should focus on improving their reading speed while maintaining accuracy.

The VARC section typically contains around 24 questions, out of which 14–16 questions are usually based on Reading Comprehension (RC) passages. Each passage generally contains multiple questions that test understanding, inference, and critical reasoning.

Regular practice with timed mock tests and sectional quizzes will help improve both speed and accuracy, which are essential for scoring well in the VARC section of the CAT exam.

If all 14 Reading Comprehension (RC) questions are answered correctly, a candidate can theoretically score 42 marks. However, in practice this is difficult to achieve. A more realistic target is attempting 10–12 questions with high accuracy.

You can approach the VARC section with a balanced strategy by focusing on both Verbal Ability (VA) and Reading Comprehension (RC).

• Attempt Verbal Ability questions such as parajumbles, odd sentence out, and para summaries (around 8–10 questions).
• If you answer 6 VA questions correctly and solve a few RC questions accurately, reaching 30+ marks becomes achievable.
• The key to success in VARC is consistent reading practice and smart question selection.

CAT 2026 VARC Strategy for 95+ Percentile

Follow these strategies to improve your VARC performance and aim for a 95+ percentile in the CAT exam.

• Practice previous years’ CAT RC passages under timed conditions.
• Work on improving both reading speed and comprehension accuracy.
• Start the VARC section with Reading Comprehension passages, as they usually appear first.
• Read each passage carefully and identify key ideas and transitions between sentences.
• Avoid attempting every question in a passage—answer only those you are confident about.
• Do not make random guesses, as negative marking can reduce your score.
• Plan in advance how many questions you will attempt from RC and VA to reach your target percentile.
• To score 30+ marks in VARC, aim to attempt 10–12 questions with high accuracy instead of trying to solve all 24 questions.