CAT English Syllabus 2025 (VARC): Topics, Weightage, Important Questions

CAT English Syllabus 2025 (VARC): Topics, Weightage, Important Questions

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CAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 20 Sep' 25

Team Careers360Updated on 05 Aug 2025, 04:30 PM IST

The CAT English syllabus for the CAT exam is designed in the form of a Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section. The CAT English syllabus for the VARC section of the CAT exam is spread across the crucial concepts of English grammar along with the ability to read large passages or pieces of information to answer the questions based on them. It tests the candidates on the grounds of their knowledge and command of the English language. VARC of the CAT English syllabus include topics like Idioms and Phrases, Synonyms and Antonyms, Logical Deductions, Paragraph Completion and other topics. The CAT English syllabus mentioned here is prepared based on the pattern of CAT previous year's question papers.

This Story also Contains

  1. English Weightage in CAT 2025
  2. CAT English Syllabus Important Topics
  3. Weightage of Different Areas of English Syllabus
CAT English Syllabus 2025 (VARC): Topics, Weightage, Important Questions
CAT English Syllabus for MBA with Weightage, Important Topics

English Weightage in CAT 2025

The VARC section of the CAT exam contains the most questions and therefore holds the largest weightage among the three sections. The VARC sections are also considered to be the highest-scoring ones because of the reading passages. The total number of questions in the VARC section is 24. The detailed weightage and marks for the VARC section in the CAT exam are given below.

ParticularsDetails

CAT Exam Section

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Total VARC Questions

24

Total Marks

72

Marking Scheme

  • 3 marks for every correct answer.
  • -1 mark for every incorrect answer.

Time

40 minutes

CAT English Syllabus Important Topics

Completing the English CAT syllabus can often seem like too much to study. Therefore, candidates need to get the important topics to study for the VARC section of the CAT exam. These important topics are the ones from which most of the questions are formulated in the VARC section. The list of the important topics from the CAT English syllabus for the VARC section of the CAT exam is provided in the table below.

CAT Exam Section

CAT English Syllabus Important Topics

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Synonyms and Antonyms
  • Word Usage and Contextual Meaning
  • Analogies
  • Idioms and Phrases
  • Grammar-based Questions (Parts of Speech, Tenses, Subject-Verb Agreement, etc.)
  • Para jumbles
  • Strengthening and Weakening Arguments
  • Assumptions, Inferences, and Conclusions
  • Logical Deductions
  • Cause and Effect Reasoning
  • Paragraph Completion
  • Summary
  • Reading and Comprehending Different Text Forms
  • Contextual Understanding

Weightage of Different Areas of English Syllabus

The entire CAT English syllabus can be divided into the following four parts:

  1. Reading Comprehension
  2. VA- Para Jumbles
  3. VA- Odd Sentence
  4. VA- Summary
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The weightage of each of these areas of the CAT English syllabus in the CAT exam is given in the table below.

Areas of CAT English Syllabus

Weightage

Reading Comprehension

66.7%

VA- Para Jumbles

12.5%

VA- Odd Sentence

8.3%

VA- Summary

12.5%

Also See:

CAT 2025: VARC, DILR, and Quant MCQs & Weightages
Comprehensive CAT prep guide with focused practice on Verbal Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Download Now

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the English section of the CAT exam?
A:

The English section of the CAT exam is Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC). It consists of 24 questions with a total mark of 72. The VARC section consists of questions across topics like vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, sentence building, and reading ability.

Q: How many questions are there in the English section of the CAT exam?
A:

The total number of questions in the VARC section of the CAT exam is 24. Each question carries 3 marks. The total marks of the VARC section are 72 out of the 198 total marks of the CAT exam.

Q: Is CAT English difficult?
A:

The difficulty level of English in the CAT exam can be considered between moderate to difficult. The difficulty level remains high as it is the topmost management entrance examination in the country. Apart from that it is also a scoring opportunity for the candidates as it contains the most number of questions among all the sections.

Q: What is the sectional cutoff for English in CAT?
A:

The sectional cutoff for English in CAT remains between 70 to 80 for most of the IIMs. It may vary for reserved categories. Clearing the sectional cutoff for English is mandatory for every candidate to be eligible for applying to the IIMs.

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Hello Aspirant,

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Hello

The CAT 2025 exam is a national-level MBA entrance test for IIMs and top B-schools in India. It will be held on 30th November 2025 in computer-based mode across ~170 cities.
The registration is open from 1st August to 13th September 2025 on iimcat.ac.in .
Admit cards will be available from 5th November 2025 onward.
Graduates with at least 50 marks (45 for SC/ST/PwD) are eligible to apply.
The exam tests English, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude in three timed sections.

Yes, you can pursue an MBA at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow, through the CAT exam.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Educational Qualification: A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) from a recognized university.

  • Entrance Exam: A valid CAT score is required for admission.

Admission Process:

  1. Application: Register online through the BBAU admission portal.

  2. Entrance Exam: Appear for the CAT exam and obtain a valid score.

  3. Counseling: Shortlisted candidates will be called for counseling based on their CAT scores.

  4. Document Verification: Submit necessary documents for verification.

  5. Fee Payment: Complete the fee payment to confirm admission.

Course Details:

  • Duration: 2 years (full-time).

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Placement Opportunities:
BBAU has a strong placement record, with top companies recruiting MBA graduates.

For more details and to apply, visit the  official BBAU MBA admission page

Hello Amgothu

With 305 marks in ICAR PG and being from ST category, your chances of getting an AIEEA (CAT) seat is good, especially in plant sciences and less competitive subjects