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Frequently Asked Questions
VARC stands for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. It is one of the three sections of the CAT exam, carrying 24 questions for a total of 72 marks, to be solved in 40 minutes. This section evaluates a student’s ability to understand passages, identify logical connections, and apply verbal reasoning under time pressure.
VARC is not inherently difficult for beginners. Most challenges arise due to incorrect reading habits such as word-by-word reading, repeated re-reading, and panic while facing abstract passages. Recent CAT trends show that even 34–36 marks can fetch a 99th percentile, proving that strategy and comprehension matter more than advanced vocabulary.
A good VARC score depends on your target percentile. Around 40–42 marks correspond to the 99th percentile, 30–32 marks to the 95th percentile, 23–25 marks to the 90th percentile, and 19–20 marks to the 85th percentile. High accuracy with selective attempts is more effective than attempting all questions.
Based on recent CAT exams, scoring around 40–42 marks in VARC typically secures the 99th percentile. This usually means answering about 18–19 questions correctly out of 24 with strong accuracy rather than attempting every question.
The VARC syllabus includes Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. Reading Comprehension covers argumentative, analytical, and abstract passages. Verbal Ability includes Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd Sentence Out, and occasionally sentence correction. The focus is on comprehension, logic, and contextual understanding rather than grammar memorisation.
VARC tests reading comprehension, logical reasoning, contextual vocabulary understanding, critical analysis, and time management. Strong performers focus on understanding meaning, tracking arguments, and maintaining accuracy under the 40-minute sectional limit.
VARC Essentials is a pre-foundation approach that focuses on correcting reading habits rather than teaching grammar rules. It diagnoses individual reading problems, improves comprehension-first reading, and uses adaptive practice to build confidence across all RC passage types, helping students save time and improve accuracy.
Personalized mentoring refers to an adaptive system that tracks individual reading patterns, identifies weak areas, and customises practice accordingly. Instead of generic exercises, students receive focused practice on passage types and skills they personally struggle with.
Improving speed comes from understanding better on the first read. Key strategies include identifying the main idea early, following logical flow, avoiding re-reading, predicting answers before checking options, and using contextual clues for vocabulary. Adaptive practice helps fix individual slow-down points.
TITA stands for Type In The Answer questions. These questions have no negative marking and usually appear in Para Jumbles or Odd Sentence Out formats. Since there is no penalty, they should always be attempted to maximise scoring opportunities.
The best VARC coaching focuses on comprehension habits, adaptive learning, and personalised feedback rather than rote vocabulary learning. Programs that fix how students read and think tend to deliver more consistent improvements than one-size-fits-all classroom methods.
Adaptive learning starts with diagnosing reading speed and comprehension, tracks where a student slows down or gets confused, and then customises passage difficulty and type. As performance improves, the system adjusts in real time, ensuring practice is always targeted and effective.
CAT RC passages are of three types: argumentative passages with a clear stance, analytical passages presenting multiple viewpoints, and abstract passages involving philosophy or literature. Each type requires a slightly different reading strategy.
VARC has a 40-minute limit. Typically, 30–32 minutes should be spent on Reading Comprehension and 8–10 minutes on Verbal Ability questions, with a short buffer for review and TITA attempts.
Yes, non-native English speakers can score 95+ percentile in VARC. The section tests comprehension and reasoning, not fluency. With correct reading strategies, contextual vocabulary skills, and adaptive practice, students from non-English backgrounds regularly achieve high percentiles.
