CAT 2024 Preparation Tips Last 30 Days Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension: Exam Pattern 
Before we share how to prepare for VARC section in last 30 days, here is a quick review of Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Exam Pattern. The VARC section of CAT exam tests a candidate's ability to comprehend written information, interpret author’s ideas, and correct errors in English grammar and vocabulary. Here are key details of CAT VARC Section. 

Total Number of Questions 

• 24 to 26 questions, varies slightly each year.
• Typically, 16-18 questions are from Reading Comprehension (RC) 
• And, 6-8 questions are from Verbal Ability (VA)  

Types of Questions
Reading Comprehension (RC): This section has 4 to 5 passages, and each passage is followed by 3-6 questions. 
Verbal Ability (VA): Section includes Para-jumbles (arranging sentences logically), Odd-sentence out (identifying the sentence that doesn’t fit in a paragraph) Summary-based questions (choosing the correct summary from options). 

Question Format

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): Options are provided, with one correct answer. In this case, negative marking applies (-1 for wrong answers, +3 for correct answers).
• Non-MCQs / TITA (Type-In-The-Answer) Questions: No answer options are provided in this type of question. Candidates must type in their own answers using keyboard. No negative marking is done for TITA questions.  

Total time available for this section is 40 minutes (sectional time limit). Candidates cannot skip and switch between sections.

CAT 2023 Question & Topics for VARC Section  

• Reading Comprehension Passages: There were four RC Passages in CAT 2023 exam. They were based on Second-hand Shopping and Fast Fashion; Translated Streaming on Netflix in Europe; Why Liberalism Failed (Book Review) and What is a Historical Fact. Question types were based on True False Statement, Argument, Inference, Main Idea, Interpretation of Phrase as used in RC; Author’s Thought Process; Passage Title.
• Verbal Ability: This questions in this section were Para Jumbles (2 Qs); Para Summary (2 Qs); Out of Context Sentence from jumbled Paragraph (2 Qs); Completion of Last Sentence of Paragraph (2 Qs). 

Now let’s get into the main theme of this article: CAT Preparation Last 30 Days Preparation Tips for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension section. MBAUniverse.com interviewed following CAT Toppers for this article: 

• Akshat Agarwal, CAT 2022 - 99.44 %; Student of IIT Delhi MBA 2023-25
• Soumik Banerjee, CAT 2022 - 99.95 %; Student of IIM Calcutta MBA 2023-25 
• Jayant Kocchar, CAT 2023 - 99.62 %; Student of SPJIMR PGDM 2024-26 
• Soraya Gupta, CAT 2023 - 98.86 Percentile; Student SPJIMR PGDM 2024-26

CAT 2024 Preparation Tips Last 30 Days for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Section 

1.    VARC Section is a Weakness of many CAT Toppers! 
If you feel you are weak in Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension section, you are not alone. For many toppers too Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension section is a weak area for many toppers. 

Akshat Agarwal, who cracked CAT 2022 with 99.44%ile and is currently pursuing MBA from IIT Delhi, told MBAUniverse.com, “Yes, VARC Section was my weak area.” He added, “I conquered my weakness in the CAT VARC section through a strategic approach. My consistent efforts and targeted practice sessions ultimately improved my VARC skills, boosting my confidence and performance in this section.” 

Soumik Banerjee, a mechanical engineer from Jadavpur University who balanced his job in a PSU with CAT preparation and eventually joined IIM Calcutta, confessed, “Being an engineer VARC was my weakest area.”

Another CAT Topper Soraya Gupta told MBAUniverse.com that “VARC was something I was weak at. According to my AIMCAT scores, my performance in VARC was very weak…” Soraya Gupta cracked CAT 2023 with 98.86 percentile and is pursuing PGDM from SPJIMR Mumbai.

So remember, if you feel you are weak in Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension section, you are not alone! Like these CAT toppers you too can improve your Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension score in last 30 days with their smart preparation tips.  

Although VARC Section takes relatively longtime to prepare since it is based on overall understanding of English language and verbal reasoning, with systematic work in last 30 days scores can be improved. Check these smart tips for improving your VARC score in last 30 days! Also check specific Pro Tip by CAT Toppers in each section.

2. Continue Daily Reading to Improve Comprehension at Speed
In the last days to CAT exam, toppers recommend that you continue to focus on reading editorial pieces, business articles, and philosophical essays to tune your brain for CAT-level RC passages. Platforms like The Hindu and The Economist offer relevant reading material similar to CAT exam past papers. This practice will help you improves your reading comprehension speed and inference skills which will enable you tackle lengthy RCs faster. 

Pro Tip by CAT Toppers! After reading an article, summarize the contents in just a few lines. This will improve your retention and comprehension. Also, don’t read every word of RC passages. Learn to skim for important details and focus on key arguments.  

3. Solve Previous Year Papers and Sectional Mocks
According to CAT Toppers, you must spend the last month to CAT in solving CAT VARC questions from the last 5-10 years. To do this you should attempt VARC Sectional Mock Tests based on CAT 2023 and other CAT Previous Year Papers. 

Says Akshat Agarwal, “Taking numerous RC tests enhanced my reading speed and comprehension.” He further added, “Indeed, reviewing your mock test performance is crucial. It will help you identify weak areas like inference-based RC questions or tricky para-jumbles.”

Check these 20+ Free Online CAT Mock Tests available on MBAUniverse.com. They are 100% based on last 10 Years’ Actual CAT Papers. VARC Sectional Mocks based on previous year’s CAT Papers are also available. 

4. Utilize Elimination Techniques in RC and VA Questions
CAT Toppers told MBAUniverse.com that they used “Elimination Techniques” when they were unsure about an answer.  In RCs, you can eliminate extreme or out-of-context options. This will improve your probability to get correct answer. For para-jumbles, look for “Mandatory Pairs”, which are two sentences that logically follow each other. Revealing his strategy, Akshat Agarwal said, “I relied on the process of elimination for multiple-choice questions.”

5. Practice Summary-Based and Odd-Sentence-Out Questions 
Summary-based questions test your ability to understand the “core idea” of a passage.  Odd-sentence-out questions require you to identify “logical inconsistencies”. In past CAT exams, these questions have often appeared as TITA (Type-In-The-Answer) questions. So, you can attempt all since there is no negative marking!  

According to a CAT Topper, “identify the “tone and intent” behind a passage or para. This will help you summarize and answer inference-based questions more easily.” 

6. Develop your own Test Taking Strategy
CAT isn't just about solving questions! It’s about solving questions strategically, within the time constraints of each section. Hence, CAT Toppers recommend that MBA aspirants should “experiment with different approaches during mocks” to discover their own unique effective strategy for VARC and other sections. 

“I tried different strategies, like attempting VA questions first in some mocks and RCs first in others. Eventually, I stuck with the one that gave me the highest accuracy," Srishti Yadav told MBAUniverse.com.  
Soumik Banerjee said, “On the d-day my strategy was to complete the verbal questions first, then select 2 out of 4 RCs, which I could find easier than other. These two RCs were attempted with maximum accuracy giving required time. Even after that if time permits then I would go for third RC. Fortunately, I got some time and completed all three RCs as per my strategy.” Soraya Gupta added, “For VARC, I first checked all 4 comprehensions and solved the ones that were doable.” 

So, if you haven’t developed your own strategy for VARC sections, this should be your focus for last 30 days to CAT. 

7. Read the Questions before Reading the Passage
If you are struggling with getting your RC passage answers right, try this innovative approach that Jayant Kocchar recommended. “In this section it is very easy to feel intimidated trying to understand the passage. It is really important that you also focus on answering the questions. So, I skimmed through the questions before going through the entire passage. This subconsciously helped me with the areas that I needed to focus on, while reading,” Jayant told MBAUniverse.com. 

8. Manage Stress, Avoid Burnout!
Indeed, CAT preparation is mentally exhausting. So don’t burnout in the final stretch! Toppers emphasize the importance of “balancing study with relaxation” to stay motivated to perform well in time pressure. 

Shreyasee Sarkar advocates a “balanced approach” in last few weeks to CAT. "Taking short breaks between study sessions helped me stay productive. Burnout can negatively impact your performance on exam day," she said. Pooja Sudhakar, who managed to balance her CAT preparation with a full-time job, highlights the importance of taking regular breaks. "I made sure to take one day off every week. Watching a movie or spending time with friends kept me motivated and refreshed," she says. Akshat Agarwal said, “Maintain a balanced lifestyle with proper sleep, diet, and exercise to stay mentally sharp. Keep a positive mindset and don't be discouraged by setbacks.”

Topper’s advice following specific ways to manage stress in last few weeks to CAT:  

• Incorporate short breaks throughout the day
• Plan at least one full day off per week to unwind. 
• Don’t stop your hobbies or spending time with friends. 
• Finally, maintain a healthy routine with enough sleep and physical activity  

Hope these CAT 2024 Preparation Tips Last 30 Days for VARC Section are helpful. In the final 30 days, with smart preparation and calm execution will give you an edge in VARC section. So, stay calm, trust your preparation, and remember that success comes to those who prepare wisely and stay calm under pressure!