Improve VARC for CAT 2026 with 10 Guaranteed Techniques

Why comprehensions are everything, why vocab and novels are mostly a trap, plus 10 techniques that stopped my VARC percentile from swinging.

If you fix one thing in VARC, make it reading comprehension. Around 70% of the section is RC, so crack that and the rest falls into place. I only worked out the right VARC strategy two or three months before my CAT, after my percentile had swung around for months. Here's what worked: the myths to drop and the techniques that steadied my score.

Three VARC Questions, Answered Fast

The question	The honest answer
Should I focus on RC?	Yes. It's about 70% of VARC. Master RC and the rest is easy.
Do I need to build vocabulary?	Mostly no. There's rarely a direct vocab question. Learn meaning from context.
Should I read novels?	No. CAT is online. Read online editorials instead.

Start With RC, Because It's 70% of the Section

I kept my focus on reading comprehension from day one, because I'd read that about 70% of VARC is RC. It turned out to be completely true. Learn how to crack RCs and the rest of verbal becomes a cakewalk. So if your time is limited, this is where it goes.

The Vocabulary Trap

I tried building vocabulary the way everyone suggests. I picked up Word Power Made Easy and within a few months realized it wasn't going to pay off. Vocabulary needs time, practice and patience. The return on CAT is tiny.

Across the last five years of papers, there's never a direct vocabulary question. At most, one or two questions might hinge on a single word you don't know. Putting months into vocab for that is not a smart trade. I only learned to read a word from its context. If you have well over a year, vocab is optional. I skipped it.

Why Novels Are the Wrong Practice

You do need to improve your reading. But novels, like offline books in general, are the wrong way to do it. CAT is an online test. You scroll instead of flipping pages. You can't underline. The whole experience is nothing like a paperback.

So practise the way you'll be tested. Read online editorials, on a screen. If you can, practise on a laptop, since the real paper looks similar. I started on a tiny laptop and had to scroll both ways, which is exactly why I upgraded. If a laptop isn't an option, do a few RCs on a computer at a cafe to get used to the format.

The Two Levers: Attempt Rate and Accuracy

Every section score comes down to two things: how many questions you attempt and how many you get right. In VARC that's your attempt rate and your accuracy rate. Early on, work on attempt rate first. The more RCs you can read, the more you can score. Once reading feels comfortable, shift to accuracy. With a few focused months, two or three is enough to crack RCs.

One mindset shift matters most here. You don't have to read fast. You have to read right.

5 Techniques to Read Right (Attempt Rate)

These five help you get through more RCs without losing the thread.

Technique	How it works
Skimming	Read the words that carry meaning: nouns, verbs, adjectives. Brush past 'is, a, the'. Same sense, half the time.
Scrap facts and figures	Don't memorize names, dates or hard terms. Swap them for 'someone', 'this time', 'Mr X'. You can look back later.
Paraphrasing	After each para, restate it in your own simple words, even just the key idea.
Repetition	Stuck on a para? Spot the words that repeat. They point to its theme.
Examples and commas	Skim over 'for instance' examples and text between commas. They restate, they rarely decide.

Accuracy: Always Know Why an Option Is Wrong

Here's the habit that lifted my accuracy the most. For every RC question, know exactly why each wrong option is wrong. Don't mark answers on a hunch.

Most people solve RCs on intuition. They feel A is right without knowing why B, C and D are wrong. That isn't good enough. Challenge your own choice too, hunt for a flaw in every option. Then, when you read the solution, check whether your reason for rejecting an option matches the author's. While your logic matches theirs, you're improving. When it doesn't, you've found the gap to fix.

5 Techniques to Eliminate Options (Accuracy)

These five spot the traps paper-setters plant in the options.

Technique	What to watch for
Extreme options	A line lifted from the passage but pushed too far. 'Most' when the passage said 'few'. Reject it for that exact word.
First and last impressions	Setters echo the first or last para in a tempting wrong option. Be extra careful on those questions.
Fact vs inference	Fact questions sit in one para; inference ones span many. Do the fact-based ones first, while you're fresh.
Author mentions	An option can be true to the passage yet not answer the question. Check whether it's stated and whether it answers this.
Your assumptions	Don't use outside knowledge. Stick to what the passage states, not what you assume is true.

And Then There's Verbal Ability

Beyond RC, verbal ability is fairly basic. It has three question types: para-summary, odd one out and para jumbles. I found para jumbles the hardest, since they're TITA and one wrong placement sinks the whole answer, so I attempted them last. For para-summary and odd one out, I just solved a few each day until they felt routine.

The Bottom Line

VARC stops being a gamble once you treat it as a method, not a feeling. Pour your time into RC. Skip the vocab rabbit hole. Read online, the way the exam works. Build your attempt rate first, then your accuracy. Always know why a wrong option is wrong. That's what turned my swinging percentile into a steady one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I improve my VARC score?

Make RC your priority, it's around 70% of the section. Build your attempt rate first by reading more RCs, then sharpen accuracy by always knowing why each wrong option is wrong. Practise on a screen, not on paper.

Is vocabulary important for CAT VARC?

Barely. There's rarely a direct vocabulary question. At most one or two hinge on a word you don't know. Learn meaning from context instead of grinding word lists, unless you have well over a year.

Should I read novels to improve reading for CAT?

Not really. CAT is an online test, so practise reading on a screen. Online editorials are the better choice because they match the format you'll face on exam day.

What is attempt rate versus accuracy rate?

Attempt rate is how many RCs you get through. Accuracy rate is how many you get right. Work on attempt rate first, then accuracy. With a few focused months, two or three is enough for RC.

How should I handle para jumbles?

Treat them as the toughest verbal type and attempt them last. They're TITA, so one wrong placement makes the whole answer wrong. Para-summary and odd one out are easier, so solve a few of those daily.