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The VARC section of CAT 2024 continued its recent tradition of being conceptually RC-heavy, with moderate Verbal Ability (VA) and plenty of traps in answer choices. The key differentiator, once again, was accuracy in reading and elimination.
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π§ Overview of VARC 2024
- Total Questions: 24
- Reading Comprehension (RC): 16 Qs (4 passages Γ 4 Qs each)
- Verbal Ability (VA): 8 Qs (Para-summary, Para-jumbles, Odd One Out)
- TITA: Most VA questions were TITA
- Overall Difficulty:
- Slot 1: Moderate to Tough
- Slot 2: Moderate
- Slot 3: Easy to Moderate
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Β SLOT-WISE VERBAL ANALYSIS
πCAT 2024 β Slot 1: Moderate to Tough
π RC Breakdown:
- RCs were dense and abstractβtopics from sociology, psychology, ecology, and AI ethics.
- Options were close and confusing, with 2β3 answer choices often seeming correct.
- No direct inference questionsβall required careful reading + elimination.
βοΈ VA Breakdown:
- 2 Para-jumbles (TITA): Moderate, 4β5 sentence types
- 2 Para-summaries (MCQ): Trickyβclose options
- 2 Odd One Out: Abstract arguments
π Key Observations:
- RC passages were wordy and idea-dense (~500β600 words each).
- Para-summary questions had subtle shifts in tone and detail.
- Many reported low accuracy despite “feeling good” during the section.
π― Good Attempts: 16β18
β Good Score: 36β40
π CAT 2024 β Slot 2: Moderate
π RC Breakdown:
- One passage on economics and inflation, another on evolutionary biology, a third on media influence, and one on AI & cognition.
- Medium length (~450β550 words); questions required detail-based understanding.
- Some direct inference + main idea questions provided relief.
βοΈ VA Breakdown:
- 3 Para-jumbles (TITA): Moderate
- 2 Para-summaries: One easy, one tricky
- 1 Odd One Out: Easy
π Key Observations:
- RC was more balancedβneither too factual nor too abstract.
- VA section was manageable, especially for those familiar with structure-based solving.
- High ROI possible for those with reading habits.
π― Good Attempts: 18β20
β Good Score: 40β45
π CAT 2024 β Slot 3: Easy to Moderate
π RC Breakdown:
- Topics included history of architecture, digital privacy, climate narratives, and psychology of habits.
- Passages were readable and shorter (~400β500 words).
- Questions were more direct, with fewer traps.
βοΈ VA Breakdown:
- 2 Para-jumbles (TITA): Easy
- 2 Para-summaries: Direct and answerable
- 2 Odd One Out: Moderate
π Key Observations:
- Reading speed helped a lot in this slot.
- Many students finished with 2β3 minutes to spare.
- Ideal slot for those confident in reading comprehension.
π― Good Attempts: 20β22
β Good Score: 45β50
π Comparative Snapshot
Feature | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
Overall Difficulty | Moderate to Tough | Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
RC Tone | Abstract, dense | Balanced | Easy & factual |
VA Difficulty | Moderate | EasyβModerate | Easy |
Good Attempts | 16β18 | 18β20 | 20β22 |
Good Score (Raw) | 36β40 | 40β45 | 45β50 |
π What CAT 2025 Aspirants Should Learn
- RC is Still the King
RC makes up 66% of the section. Practicing with a mix of abstract and factual articles is key.
- Tone & Inference Mastery
Trap options test your understanding of tone, scope, and logical flowβnot just facts.
- Practice with TITA Para-jumbles
Accuracy in TITA comes only through muscle memoryβsolve 100+ PJs before October.
- Make Reading a Daily Habit
Read articles from Aeon, NYT, The Guardian, The Hindu, Eon, Nautilus, and JSTOR to simulate CAT-style RCs.
- Mock Smartly, Not Just Hard
Analyze not just the questions you got wrong, but also the ones you got right for the wrong reason.
Here’s a complete, month-wise preparation plan for CAT 2025 β Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), aligned with CAT 2024 trends and smart strategy:
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π CAT 2025 VARC Preparation Plan (JuneβNovember)
Target: 98+ percentile with strong RC and VA accuracy
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β JUNE β Foundation Phase
Goals: Build reading habits, understand CAT VARC structure, and begin light practice.
π Focus Areas:
- Read 1 long article daily (700β1000 words)
- Topics: Philosophy, Psychology, Economics, Environment, Sociology
- Learn question types: Main idea, inference, tone, summary
π Practice:
- 2 RCs/week from previous CAT papers
- 5 Para-jumbles and 2 Para-summary questions/week
- Start a βWords in Contextβ vocabulary journal
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β JULY β RC Skills + VA Foundations
Goals: Strengthen comprehension and start solving VA seriously
π RC Focus:
- RC Strategy: Elimination > Selection
- Practice 3 RCs/week: Time-bound (12β15 mins each)
- Learn to identify:
- Author’s tone
- Main argument
- Contradictions and comparisons
βοΈ VA Focus:
- Para-jumbles (4-sentence, 5-sentence) β 20/week
- Para-summary β 10/week
- Odd One Out β 5/week
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β AUGUST β Accuracy Building Phase
Goals: Balance speed with comprehension, increase exposure to TITA formats
π RC Focus:
- 4 RCs/week from mock level material
- Practice: Inference-based, assumption, tone, application Qs
- Track accuracy using RC logs (create error tracker)
βοΈ VA Focus:
- Time-bound VA sets: 6β8 Qs in 20 mins
- Deep analysis of confusing questions
- Reinforce grammar intuitively (through reading, not rules)
β SEPTEMBER β Mock Integration Phase
Goals: Shift from practice to simulated testing
π§ͺ Mock Strategy:
- Full 40-min VARC sections twice a week
- 1 Full-length CAT mock/week
- Analyze:
- % accuracy
- Qs skipped
- Trap choices
π RC:
- 5 RCs/week from past CATs + mock-level
- Use time blocks: 30 mins = 2 RCs
βοΈ VA:
- Focus on difficult para-summaries & odd-one-outs
- Maintain TITA question logs
- Practice VA under sectionals
β OCTOBER β Final Refinement
Goals: Fix weak zones, improve test temperament
π§ What to Do:
- 3 mocks/week with full VARC analysis
- RCs: Push reading speed to 250β300 wpm
- VA: Solve past 5 years’ actual CAT VA questions
- Analyze incorrect TITA logic
β NOVEMBER β Exam Temperament + Micro-Focus
Goals: Maximize performance in 40 mins
π§ͺ Weekly Routine:
- 4 sectionals (VARC) + 3 full CAT mocks
- Revise RC themes and tone vocabulary
- Practice RCs across slots (CAT 2023, 2024)
βοΈ Additional Tools
Tool/Activity | Frequency |
Read newspapers/articles | Daily (45 mins) |
Maintain vocab/context log | 3x/week |
Revise VA errors | Weekly |
VARC Group Discussions | Weekly (1 hr) |
π Recommended Reading Sources
Source | Focus |
The Hindu (editorials) | Tone, structure, Indian context |
Aeon / Eon | Philosophy, Psychology |
NYT / The Guardian | Global issues, Opinion pieces |
JSTOR Daily | Abstract RC practice |
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