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CAT 2026 VARC Strategy: Achieving 99+ Percentile

Assuming the CAT 2026 format remains similar to recent years (2-hour duration), Reading Comprehension (RC) will dominate the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section, accounting for approximately 16 questions (70%) of the total. This section fundamentally tests your comprehension skills, placing less emphasis on rote vocabulary or advanced grammar. The critical initial step is developing reading retention.

1. Building Comprehension and Retention

The best way to exercise your mind for comprehension is to start reading articles from reputable sources and summarizing them mentally. You can begin with English newspapers like The Hindu or Economic Times, or online platforms like Aeon or Al-daily to get accustomed to long, complex passages.

A significant advantage can be gained by utilizing curated resources:

Reading Practice: Read 1 to 2 articles daily from the 250 Genre-wise Reading Articles by iQuanta, available in the Reading Materials Section here: Free CAT Preparation Study Material.

Targeted Practice: Practice 3 RCs per day. Use Past CAT RCs accessible here: CAT 2026 Course Previous Year Questions. Supplement this with the iQuanta CAT Course VARC section.

Result: With two months of consistent reading, your retention ability will drastically improve and complement your RC practice.

2. Approach to Reading Comprehension Passages

The most conventional and recommended approach is to read the whole passage first before looking at the questions. However, experiment with all three approaches during mocks:

• Reading the entire passage first
• Reading the first 1–2 paragraphs then checking questions
• Reading all questions first, then reading the passage

The core challenge is absorbing and understanding the text. To avoid forgetting key points:

Initial Tactic: During early preparation, note important highlights of each paragraph as you read. This helps build a mental structure.

Advanced Goal: As your retention naturally improves, you will no longer need to take notes.

3. Strategy for Attempting Questions

Success in RC questions relies on careful reading and rigorous elimination.

Elimination is Key

Most questions allow easy elimination of two options. The remaining two will be confusing and similar. Trust your comprehension and choose the best one based on logic.

Analysis is Crucial

After each test, read answer explanations—whether you were right or wrong.

If you chose one of the last two options and it was wrong, you were “half-correct.” Focus on understanding the subtle difference.

If you eliminated the correct answer early, it indicates weak comprehension or careless question reading.

Avoid Assumptions

Never apply your external knowledge. Stick strictly to the passage. Read each question VERY carefully to avoid mistakes involving scope or assumptions.

4. iQuanta CAT 2026 Course Offerings for VARC

The iQuanta CAT 2026 Full Course comprehensively covers the entire VARC syllabus.

• Engineer’s Module: Designed for those extremely weak in English, includes 40 RC videos and grammar + communication content.
• Niche Content: 60+ videos with 30 hours of high-level VARC content.
• Live Sessions: 32 Application Sessions (20 for RC) + 20 Conceptual Live sessions.
• RC Practice: Each session covers 4–5 passages with detailed solutions and instant doubt resolution.
• Practice Volume: 260+ RCs + 500 VA questions covered across 3–4 months.
• Crash Course: Includes 75 additional RCs focused on Critical Reasoning and high-speed application.
• For all RCs at once, iQuanta IIM ABC Course offers 500 RC sets with detailed solutions.

5. Final Tip

Try to dedicate 30–45 minutes daily to reading. Once comfortable, integrate Past CAT RCs gradually. Paired with explanatory videos and consistent practice, this will push your percentile to 99+.

The important part is to start now. Details and registration for the CAT 2026 Full Course can be found here: iQuanta CAT 2026 Course