CAT VARC Syllabus 2025: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Topics, Preparation Tips & Best Books

CAT VARC Syllabus 2025: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Topics, Preparation Tips & Best Books

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Team Careers360Updated on 21 Aug 2025, 03:24 PM IST

CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Syllabus 2025 - The CAT 2025 exam consists of three subjects, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI) and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Candidates who are planning to appear in the CAT 2025 exam must be familiar with the fact that CAT conducting body will not provide any official CAT syllabus. So candidates must know the complete CAT 2025 VARC syllabus, preparation tips and best books to prepare for the CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section.

This Story also Contains

  1. CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus
  2. Most Important VARC MCQs for CAT 2025 Exam
  3. CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2025
  4. How to Prepare for CAT VARC Exam 2025?
  5. Best Books for CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 2025
  6. CAT Exam Date 2025
  7. CAT Exam Pattern 2025
CAT VARC Syllabus 2025: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Topics, Preparation Tips & Best Books
CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus

CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus

Careers360 brings to you details of CAT, exam dates, features of the VARC section, major topics along with an expected number of questions in this article of the CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus. Along with that, the major preparation tips to be followed to ace the VARC section, and the best books are also provided in this article.

Most Important VARC MCQs for CAT 2025 Exam

Exam Pattern of CAT VARC Section:

Particulars

Details

Sectional Time Duration for VARC

  • 53 minutes and 20 seconds for PwD Candidates
  • 40 Minutes for other

Type of Questions

MCQs and TITA Questions (Both)

Marking Scheme for MCQs

  • 3 marks for the correct answer
  • -1 mark for an incorrect answer
  • No marks for unattempted questions

Marking Scheme for TITA Questions

No negative marking

Difficulty Level

Moderately to High

CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension Syllabus 2025

The very first section that candidates see in the CAT 2025 exam is the VARC section out of the three. For the VARC section, candidates are expected to select passages carefully and answer accurately. The questions in the VARC section are divided into both MCQs and TITA Questions. As of now, every year 10 questions from Verbal Ability are asked and the remaining are from the reading comprehension part.

CAT Verbal Ability syllabus 2025 aims to test candidates on grammar and Verbal Reasoning, Error Correction, Facts, inference or judgment, comprehension, vocabulary, para summary and related topics.

Quick Link - How to tackle TITA questions in CAT

CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus

Particulars

Details

Type of questions in Verbal Ability

Both MCQs and TITA (Non-MCQs)

Type of questions in Reading comprehension

MCQs only

Total MCQs in verbal ability

10

Total questions in Reading comprehension

24

Related CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus: Important Topics

  • Inferential Logical Reasoning
  • Para Jumbles
  • Summary
  • Contextual usage
  • Idioms
  • One word substitution
  • Sentence completion
  • Misfit/Out of Context sentence
  • Paragraph Completion
  • Vocabulary
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How to Prepare for CAT VARC Exam 2025?

As mentioned earlier, the official CAT 2025 VARC syllabus has not been released officially. On the basis of the previous year's question papers of CAT, sample papers and expert advice candidates can get to know what topics are to be asked from the CAT verbal ability and reading comprehension syllabus of CAT 2025. Every registered candidate wants to make it to IIMs but the question is How To Crack CAT? If we look closely, a few topics in the VARC section are very important and repeated every year in the question paper differently.

As per the exam pattern of CAT 2025, out of all questions in this section, some questions will be in a non-MCQ format which means candidates will have to answer the questions without any choices. Here are some major tips for CAT toppers that will help the candidates to score well in the CAT 2025 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section:

  1. One of the toppers of CAT suggests future candidates read more and more newspapers and novels on a daily basis. This would surely help in improving the vocabulary for the VARC section. No doubt that the VARC section could be a tough nut to crack.
  2. Carefully solve sample papers of CAT to get a gist of the types of questions that are likely to be asked.
  3. Take the CAT mock test on a regular basis to gauge the preparation level or to know CAT important topics for preparation.
  4. Try to add new 5-10 words new on a daily basis to improve your vocabulary along with their synonyms and antonyms.
  5. Keep in mind to focus on time management of CAT as this can swap the game completely if not held onto carefully.
  6. If you feel bored reading all the time, try watching movies with English subtitles to make VARC section preparation effective.
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.
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Best Books for CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension 2025

Book Title

Author/Publisher

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT

Nishit Sinha

High School Grammar and Composition

Wren and Martin

How to Prepare for Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability for the CAT

Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay

Also Read-

CAT Exam Date 2025

In order to be familiar with when and how to start preparation for CAT, it is important for candidates to be aware of the exam dates of CAT. Details of notification, start and end of registration and other events regarding CAT 2025 are mentioned in this section. CAT 2025 entrance exam will be held on November 30, 2025.

CAT Exam Pattern 2025

To form a preparation plan for the CAT 2025 exam, candidates must be aware of the type of questions asked, total time duration, marking scheme and related information. Such details are provided under the exam pattern of CAT. Given below is the CAT 2025 exam pattern for the VARC section.

CAT Slot 1 Analysis - VARC Section

The complete VARC section was moderately difficult in CAT 2023. VARC section of CAT slot 1 exam consisted of questions from para jumbles with 2 questions, sentence filling, 2 odd one out and 2 summary questions. There were 4 reading comprehension with 16 questions and 8 questions from verbal ability section.

According to the CAT slot 1 analysis the distribution of the questions in the Verbal Ability area is as below –

Question TypeNumber of QuestionsDifficulty Level
Para Formation Questions (PFQs)2Moderate-Difficult
Sentence Placement2Moderate
Sentence Placement2Moderate
Para Summary2Moderate
Para Odd Man Out2Moderate


CAT 2023 Slot 2 Analysis

CAT 2023 slot 2 analysis (VARC section)- The difficulty level of VARC section of CAT slot 2 exam was easy to moderate. As per the CAT 2023 slot 2 analysis, the VARC section had doable questions. There were 4 RC passages, 2 questions from para completion and 4 questions from para jumbles.

CAT 2023 Slot 2 Analysis: Reading Comprehension

Passage Number

Passage – Topic/ Area

No. of Questions

Difficulty Level

Description/ Doable

1

Garments/ fashion Industry & Pollution

4

Easy to Moderate

400-450 wordsS
4- Doable

2

Netflix Dubbing of titles for Europe- Good or Bad for Europe?

4

Easy to
Moderate

400-450 words
3 Doable

3

Liberalism is Dying

4

Moderate to Difficult

400-450 words
2- Doable, 2- Difficult

4

Facts & Interpretation in History

4

Easy

400-450 words
2- Doable, 2- Difficult

Total


16

Moderate

Easier than CAT 2022

CAT 2023 Slot 2 Analysis: Verbal Ability

Question Type

Easy

Moderate

Difficult

Total

Para Summary

1

1

0

2

Odd Sentence

0

1

1

2

Para Completion

0

2

0

2

Para Jumbles

1

1

0

2

Total

2

5

1

8

CAT 2023 Slot 3 Analysis

CAT slot 3 analysis VARC section- The VARC section of CAT 2023 slot 3 was moderate to difficult. There were 4 RC and 4 questions. Questions came from para jumbles, summary and para completion.

CAT 2023 Slot 3 Analysis: Reading Comprehension

Passage Number

Passage –

Topic/ Area

No. of Questions

Difficulty

Level

Description/ Doable

1

Romantic Aesthetics/ Philosophy

4

Difficult to comprehend/read

400-450 words
3- Doable, 1- Difficult

2

Cultural Property Law → Exploration of Sites

4

Easy to

Moderate

400-450 words
2- Doable, 2- Moderate - Difficult

3

Nutmeg Curse→ Environment Degradation

4

Moderate

400-450 words
3- Doable, 1- Difficult

4

Rational Thinking

4

Moderate

400-450 words
2- Doable, 2- Moderate - Difficult

Total

16

Moderate

Easier than CAT 2022

CAT 2023 Slot 3 Analysis: Verbal Ability

Question Type

Easy

Moderate

Difficult

Total

Para Summary

0

1

1

2

Odd Sentence

0

0

2

2

Para Completion

1

0

1

2

Para Jumbles

0

2

0

2

Total

1

3

4

8

CAT 2022 Slot 1 Exam Analysis

As per CAT Exam Analysis 2022 slot 1, the overall difficulty level of the VARC section is moderate. No questions are asked on Odd one out. The paper consists of 3 questions from Para Summary and Para Jumbles and 2 from Fill in the Blanks.

CAT 2022 Slot 2 Exam Analysis

As per CAT Analysis 2022, the RC section had 4 difficult passages, especially one on Institutions. The verbal Ability section was based on Para Summary, Para Completion, and Para Jumbles.

CAT 2022 Slot 3 Exam Analysis

As per CAT 2022 Analysis, the VARC is moderate. The RC passages are easy to read as the options are a little tricky. RC passages VARC topics for CAT are asked from the below topics:

  • History - Tricky
  • Biology & Tech - Moderate
  • Sociology & Anthropology (Great Migration) - Moderate
  • Software - Moderate

CAT 2021 Slot 1 Exam Analysis of VARC

Based on the initial reaction of test-takers, the CAT 2021 Slot 1 Exam Analysis of VARC is provided below.

  • A maximum number of questions had been asked from RC i.e. a total of 4 sets of RC with 4 questions each were there in Slot 1 paper.
  • Along with that 19 MCQ and 5 TITA-type questions were asked in VARC slot 1 paper.
  • As per experts the good attempts for slot 1 VARC paper could be around 16 to 18 questions.
  • Other than that, 3 questions each were asked from Para jumbles and para summary.

CAT 2021 Slot 2 Exam Analysis of VARC

Based on the initial reaction of test-takers, the CAT 2021 Slot 2 Exam Analysis of VARC is provided below.

  • A total of 4 sets of RC with 4 questions each were there in the Slot 2 paper.
  • 8 questions were from Verbal Ability.
  • Like Slot 1 paper, this slot also had 3 questions each asked from Para jumbles and para summary.
  • 2 questions were asked from odd one out topic.

CAT 2021 Slot 3 Exam Analysis of VARC

Based on the initial reaction of test-takers, the CAT 2021 Slot 3 Exam Analysis of VARC is provided below.

  • Like slot 1 and 2, slot 3 also had 4 sets of RC with 4 questions each.
  • 2 RCs were rated difficult while the other two were doable and easy.
  • Again, 3 questions each were asked from Para jumbles and para summary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the syllabus of the CAT 2025?
A:

The syllabus of CAT includes verbal ability & reading comprehension (VARC), data interpretation & logical reasoning (DILR), and quantitative aptitude (QA).


Q: How many questions are there in VARC CAT?
A:

As per CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus, this section will have 24 questions.

Q: What is the syllabus of VARC in CAT?
A:

The CAT 2025 VARC syllabus have both MCQs and TITA (Non-MCQs) where every year 10 questions are from Verbal Ability and the remaining are from the reading comprehension part. The topics have been discussed in the article. 


Q: What are the topics in Verbal ability and reading comprehension?
A:

The topics include:

  • Inferential Logical Reasoning
  • Para Jumbles
  • Summary
  • Contextual usage
  • Idioms
  • One word substitution
  • Sentence completion
  • Misfit/Out of Context sentence
  • Paragraph Completion
  • Vocabulary
Q: What are the topics in Verbal Ability for CAT exam?
A:

The topics in Verbal Ability for CAT exam are: 

  • Inferential Logical Reasoning
  • Para Jumbles
  • Summary
  • Contextual usage
  • Idioms
  • One word substitution
  • Sentence completion
  • Misfit/Out of Context sentence
  • Paragraph Completion
  • Vocabulary
Q: How to prepare for Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability?
A:

The ways to prepare for Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability:

  • read more and more newspapers and novels on a daily basis
  • solve sample papers of CAT to get a gist to types of questions
  • try to add new 5-10 words new on a daily basis
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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

With a 70 percent in CAT Examination, you can go for various B-Schools or private collages. The S. K. Patel Institute of Management in Gandhinagar is an option for those who score 70-80 percent in their CAT examination or The Gujarat Institute of Management (GIM) in Goa with a cutoff of 60-80 percentage. These are the collages you can look for in Gujarat or nearby.

Collage in other regions: BA Colleges Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT 2025

Thank You.

Hello dear candidate,

NO. your application for CAT will not rejected for wrong gender small mistake in the OBC NCL certificate. You will be considered as an OBC candidate.

you just need to get your OBC certificate corrected and need to inform the CAT helpdesk about this error.


Hello,

Here are some top MBA colleges in India with fees under Rs. 2 lakh and their exam/cutoff details:

  • SIMSREE, Mumbai – Fee around Rs. 1.3–1.4 lakh for 2 years. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, ATMA. Cutoff is very high, usually 99+ percentile in CAT/CMAT.

  • PUMBA (Dept. of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University) – Fee around Rs. 1.2–1.3 lakh. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, ATMA. Cutoff approx. 75+ percentile in CAT, 90–95+ percentile in CMAT, high scores in MAH-CET.

  • TISS, Mumbai (MA HRM & other management-related programmes) – Fee around Rs. 1.7–1.9 lakh. Accepts CAT for some courses. Qualifying cutoff is around 60–70 percentile, but final selection cutoffs are higher.

These are the main government institutes where the full MBA/PG programme fee is within Rs. 2 lakh. Cutoffs vary slightly each year and by category, but SIMSREE and PUMBA generally need high scores, while TISS has its own process along with CAT shortlisting.

Hope it helps !

Hey! With a NEET score of 344 in the ST category, it is highly unlikely to get admission in any government BDS college in Delhi through the All India Quota. The cutoff for government BDS seats in Delhi usually falls around 400–450 for ST category, so your score is below that range.

You can consider private dental colleges, state quota seats in other states, or reattempt NEET next year to improve your chances.

Hello dear candidate,

YES, with NEET score 344in the ST category you have high chances of getting admission in a BDS College in J&K through JKBOPEE counselling.

check the seat availability and next participate in JKBOPEE Counselling with all the necessary documents.

Thank you.