For many CAT aspirants, mastering the VARC section begins with developing a strong reading habit. One of the most effective ways to build comprehension and vocabulary is to read newspaper articles regularly. Editorials, opinion columns, and analytical pieces challenge your ability to process information quickly and critically. This daily practice enhances your grasp of tone, inference, and context—skills that are directly tested in VARC. By choosing the right content and reading with intent, you can turn newspapers into a powerful study tool.

Student learning how to read newspaper for CAT VARC

Why Newspaper Reading Matters in CAT

Newspaper articles provide exposure to real-world topics, complex sentence structures, and diverse writing styles—all highly relevant to CAT. Regular reading helps you:

Understand dense texts
Improve interpretation of tone and purpose
Stay updated with global and national issues

Editorials mirror the style of CAT reading comprehension questions, making newspapers a practical resource for VARC practice.

Also read: Join the CAT 2025 Preparation Group by Coachify to discuss trends like CAT Score vs Percentile 2025, strategies, and exam updates in real-time.

How to Read Newspaper for CAT the Right Way

Simply reading the headlines or scrolling casually through an article won’t benefit your VARC prep. Here’s how to approach newspaper reading with purpose:

1. Prioritize Quality Content

Not all newspaper sections are relevant for CAT. Your time is valuable, so focus on content that mirrors CAT passage topics and complexity. These are the areas that offer the highest returns: Many RCs are built around consulting, economics, and tech topics. You’ll find real-world examples in Top MBA Colleges for Consulting in India 2025 and Top MBA Colleges for Business Analytics in India 2025, helping you read context-rich content that resembles CAT-level RCs.

Editorials and Opinion Columns
These are the most important for CAT prep. They are typically written by subject-matter experts and deal with current events, economic policies, philosophy, psychology, or international relations. The tone is analytical, argumentative, or persuasive—perfect practice for CAT RC passages.
Global and National Affairs
Articles on international diplomacy, government decisions, and economic developments help you stay informed on real-world topics often seen in comprehension passages.
Subjects Like Philosophy, Psychology, and Politics
These fields frequently appear in CAT RCs due to their abstract and interpretative nature. Choose articles that discuss moral dilemmas, human behavior, governance, or economic theories. This reading habit also aligns well with CAT RCs based on abstract themes. Explore Which Field Is Best for MBA in India 2025? to understand how philosophy and psychology shape career choices and MBA domains.

Avoid: Sports, entertainment, crime reports, or regional news unless they’re editorialized. These often lack the analytical depth needed for VARC preparation.

2. Read Actively

Active reading is the opposite of passive scrolling. The goal is to engage with the text, not just consume it. Here's how to do that:

Underline or highlight key arguments: As you read, identify the central thesis of the article and the supporting points. Ask yourself: What is the author trying to say? What evidence do they use? These are core questions in CAT VARC Questions Practice, especially in RC and summary-based formats.
Track logical connectors: Words like however, therefore, although, similarly, and in contrast signal the flow of logic. Recognizing these helps you follow the author’s argument and anticipate transitions.
Mark tone indicators: Words that show sarcasm, criticism, neutrality, or enthusiasm give clues to the author's attitude—vital for tone-based RC questions.
Note down unfamiliar vocabulary: Don’t just skip words you don’t know. Highlight them, look up their meanings, and note how they’re used in context. You can supplement this with our free VARC Cheat Sheet PDF for key vocabulary, transition words, and tone indicators used frequently in CAT passages.

To truly simulate VARC conditions, you could also:

Frame questions based on the passage: e.g., "What is the author's main argument?" or "Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?"

3. Summarize What You Read

Summarization is one of the most powerful techniques to internalize what you've read. It forces your brain to: Summarizing is also a key tactic in Coachify's Reading Zone, where each article comes with summary prompts and follow-up questions to build RC speed and logic.

Identify the core message
Distill long arguments into concise thoughts
Retain and recall key details

How to summarize effectively:

After finishing an article, write a 2–3 sentence summary in your own words.
Include:
- The main idea (central theme)
- The author’s stance (critical, supportive, neutral)
- Any supporting examples or analogies used

Best Newspapers for Reading Practice

To make the most of your time, choose publications that align with the tone and complexity of CAT:

Newspaper	Why It's Recommended
The Hindu	Deep analysis, abstract writing
Indian Express	Clear arguments, balanced structure
Financial Times	Strong for economic and financial topics
The Guardian	Ideal for philosophy, international politics

Selecting the right content helps you connect your read newspaper habit directly to VARC improvements.

These publications reflect the tone and complexity of actual CAT papers. For extra reference, browse past CAT Previous Year Papers to see how such content has been framed in real RCs. Join our CAT Study Group.

Editorial Strategy Using The Hindu

Among all the publications, The Hindu is the top pick for CAT aspirants due to its detailed editorials and advanced vocabulary. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Choose one editorial daily
Identify the author’s argument and conclusion
Note new words and usage
Pay attention to tone shifts and logic connectors

These are the exact patterns tested in CAT. You can also simulate practice with the CAT Diagnostic Test, which helps identify weaknesses in tone and inference questions early.

This approach builds the exact skills you’ll need to excel in VARC, especially in inference-based RC questions.

Improving Vocabulary and RC Through Reading

Newspapers are excellent tools to enhance vocabulary in a real-world context. Here’s a method that works:

Maintain a digital or physical vocabulary journal
Note 5 new words daily with meanings and usage
Practice using them in your own sentences

Meanwhile, converting articles into RC-style questions or parajumbles offers strong training for verbal reasoning. Toppers often practice this using our structured plan in CAT 2025 Coaching vs Self Study — see what works better for your VARC journey.

Coachify Reading Zone for VARC Prep

To make your reading habit even more efficient, use Coachify Reading Zone. It’s designed to help aspirants:

Access hand-picked articles for CAT-level reading
Strengthen comprehension and vocabulary
Stay consistent with a structured reading plan

The Reading Zone categorizes articles by topic—ideal for developing reading skills tailored to the VARC section.

Access the Coachify Reading Zone: Explore hand-picked CAT-level editorial articles and structured plans designed to sharpen your comprehension and vocabulary. It’s your one-stop resource to build VARC readiness—one article at a time.

Conclusion

Building a habit to read newspaper regularly can transform your VARC preparation. It’s not just about language improvement—it's about thinking critically, absorbing arguments, and understanding tone.

By reading the right material daily, summarizing articles, and tracking your vocabulary growth, you can make steady progress. Resources like Coachify Reading Zone make this process smoother, focused, and exam-relevant.