Common Mistakes in CAT Reading Comprehension Questions; Avoid These RC Errors for CAT 2026

Introduction - Why RC is Critical in CAT VARC

This section explains why Reading Comprehension is the backbone of the CAT VARC section, which determines the highest score weight and frequently decides total score results. The study demonstrates that strong reading comprehension abilities directly influence both testing accuracy and speed, which leads to better performance in the CAT exam.

Importance of Reading Comprehension in CAT

Reading Comprehension is the maker of the Verbal section, isn't so your VARC performance and can single-handedly determine your overall percentile. RC typically accounts for 16-18 out of 24 questions in the VARC section, and the deciding factor that often separates candidates scoring in the 95th percentile from those reaching the 99th percentile.

The importance of RC extends beyond mere question count and precisely tests the skills business schools value-the ability to read dense case studies, research papers, and business reports accurately and efficiently. Unlike Verbal Ability questions that test discrete skills like para-jumbles or odd-one-out, RC questions evaluate your ability to process complex information under pressure, identify implicit arguments, and distinguish between what's stated and what's merely suggested. These are precisely the skills business schools value-the ability to read dense case studies, research papers, and business reports accurately and efficiently.

Weightage and Structure of CAT RC Questions

One can expect 4 passages in CAT and 4 TO 5 questions each. Be careful about the marking scheme, which is 3 marks each, with a negative marking of -1 mark for incorrect answers.

The passages are deliberately diverse in nature and complexity:

• Humanities passages (literature, philosophy, history) test your ability to understand abstract concepts and authorial intent, and they have been playing an important role for the last few years. Students are also stuck in this domain.

• Social sciences passages (economics, sociology, political science) require analysis of arguments and evidence. Here, theories and terminologies can be a very decisive factor.

• Science passages (though less common) test comprehension of technical processes in accessible language. Here, concepts, theories and terminologies can be a very deciding factor.

• Contemporary issues covering current debates in culture, technology, or policy. Trending in the last few CAT papers.

Questions typically fall into these categories:

• Main idea/Primary purpose

• Specific detail/Inference

• Author's tone/Attitude

• Vocabulary in context

• Application/Extrapolation

• Double Negative questions

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the CAT RC Section

The most common mistakes made by candidates in CAT Reading Comprehension tests begin with their incorrect understanding of passages, which leads to their inability to select the correct answers. The demonstration enables you to identify these traps from the start, which allows you to implement better strategies for achieving higher accuracy while maintaining your ability to secure simple points.

Stop Skimming Passages Too Quickly

One of the important processes while you are starting with RC, and the deciding factor is also. But being very fast can make you get lost and miss important information, too. So be vigilant, go slow and try to touch all the major keywords that you come across in this process.

Why skimming fails in CAT RC:

• The passages in the CAT tests contain complex arguments which test takers need to analyse because the passages do not contain any storytelling elements.

• The questions require students to identify minute differences, which skimming reading will not allow them to detect.

• You must read the passage again to answer specific, detailed questions, which will take up your time.

• The trap options function as tools which identify readers who only read at a basic level.

The better approach requires active reading through three to four minutes because readers need to comprehend the main ideas which authors present through their work. The upfront investment pays off because you will answer most questions without needing to read the passage.

Stop Ignoring the Author's Tone and Purpose

The author maintains a specific tone and purpose which readers must recognise. Many students focus exclusively on what the passage says while ignoring why the author is saying it and how they feel about it. The mistake results in 20-30 per cent of RC questions which test tone and attitude and purpose to fail. The CAT 2020 passage presents traditional farming practices as its main subject. The passage presented both benefits and challenges objectively, yet many students incorrectly answered a tone question, choosing "strongly advocating" when the correct answer was "balanced evaluation." They understood the facts, but did not understand how the author presented his analysis through his controlled writing style.

The common tone-related mistakes include

• two types of mistakes which people make when they assess tone in texts.

• To assess tone in texts make two main mistakes because they cannot identify the two types of tone elements.

• People who read social commentary passages tend to miss the sarcasm and irony that exist in those texts.

How to identify tone accurately:

• Note emotional or evaluative words (problematic, promising, misguided, compelling)

• Identify hedge words (perhaps, seems to, might suggest) that indicate caution

• Distinguish between presenting others' views and endorsing them

• Pay attention to rhetorical questions and their function

Stop Making Assumptions Not Supported by the Passage

This is perhaps the single most common mistake pattern: bringing in outside knowledge or making logical leaps that seem reasonable but aren't explicitly supported by the passage. CAT RC questions test only what's stated or reasonably inferred from the given text.

Types of unsupported assumptions students make:

• Real-world knowledge: "Solar energy is expensive" (when the passage discusses it being cost-competitive)

• Extreme extrapolations: Passage criticises one aspect → Student assumes author rejects entire concept

• Causation assumptions: Passage mentions two things in sequence → Student assumes one caused the other

• Scope expansion: Passage discusses the Indian context → Student selects the answer about "all developing nations"

The discipline required: After reading each answer choice, ask yourself: "Can I point to specific sentences in the passage that support this?" If you can't, eliminate it regardless of how logical it seems. CAT rewards close reading, not general knowledge.

Stop Not Reading Questions Before the Passage

The ongoing discussion about reading questions before or after the passage continues without resolution. Top scorers who prefer to read questions first without checking answer options need this method because it creates mental pathways, which result in better reading performance.

Benefits of previewing questions:

• You know what to look for while reading (specific details, tone, main argument)

• Answering detailed questions requires less effort because it eliminates the need for multiple reading sessions.

• Examination enables you to recognise which type of questions exist (more inference vs. more detailed questions).

• Helps you concentrate on essential materials

For example, if you know there's a question asking "According to the passage, which factor most contributed to X?", you'll read the relevant paragraph more carefully, mentally noting the causal relationships.

How to preview effectively:

• The effective previewing process requires two steps, which include a 20 to 30-second question stem scanning time without answer option review.

• Requires you to identify which question types will be asked through assessment of detail tone, main idea and inference questions.

• Requires you to read with question types present in the text.

The passage examination requires you to read with question types present in the text. The mock test evaluation shows which testing approach benefits you most when you determine your accuracy rate without feeling time pressure.

Download Now: CAT 2026 Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Study Material PDF

Stop Focusing on Unknown Words Instead of Context

The presence of unknown words in a CAT passage creates panic, which results in students losing their ability to understand the text. Students who need to understand unknown words before answering questions waste their time while they panic about the test. Both approaches are mistakes. The complete content of CAT passages remains available to readers who possess basic reading skills but lack knowledge of specific terms. The word "morphology" appeared in a linguistic passage which existed in the CAT 2022 question paper. The term, which you need to know, exists in the passage, yet the text provides sufficient information to understand its main idea through its explanation of "the study of word structure and formation".

Why obsessing over vocabulary is counterproductive:

• Context usually clarifies meaning sufficiently for comprehension

• Specific vocabulary is rarely the key to answering questions

• Time spent decoding words is better spent understanding arguments

• Anxiety about vocabulary disrupts reading flow

Better strategies:

• Use contextual clues (contrast, examples, definitions) to grasp sufficient meaning

• Keep reading-the word's meaning often becomes clearer with subsequent sentences

• Focus on the sentence's overall point rather than the precise word definition

• Mark and move on if a word doesn't affect your understanding of the argument

The term "heterodox" in "The author's heterodox views challenged conventional thinking" requires no definition because "unorthodox" serves as its complete meaning. The phrase "challenged conventional thinking" tells you enough: the views are different from the mainstream.

Download Now: Avoid These Common CAT RC Mistakes to Boost Your VARC Score

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in CAT RC Questions

This section focuses on recurring traps specific to CAT RC questions, which include extreme options and assumption-based answers and time mismanagement. The program helps you identify these difficulties while you learn to solve questions using better analytical thinking skills.

Stop Falling for Trap Options

CAT question setters are expert psychologists who understand exactly how students think and design wrong answers that exploit common reasoning patterns. These "trap options" are often more seductive than correct answers precisely because they seem logical at first glance.

Classic trap option patterns:

1. The "Too Extreme" trap: Takes a moderate statement from the passage and intensifies it.

• Passage: "Social media has changed how people communicate"

• Trap: "Social media has completely revolutionised all human interaction"

• The words "completely" and "all" make it too extreme

2. The "True But Irrelevant" trap: States something factually correct from the passage, which does not answer the specific question.

• The main reason for declining bee populations lies between two factors, which the passage describes as pesticides and climate change.

• Trap: Climate change has affected weather patterns (true, but not the main reason asked about)

3. The "Opposite Direction" trap: Reverses the passage's stance.

• The passage shows two sides of technology because it provides advantages to users while its negative aspects create serious problems.

• Trap: The author believes that technology provides more advantages than it delivers disadvantages.

How to avoid traps:

• Read all options before selecting, even if one seems obviously correct

• Extreme language should be treated with suspicion because it contains words that indicate absolute certainty

• The option needs to provide an actual answer to the question, which exists beyond its demonstration of a true statement.

• Verify that your chosen answer is supported by specific passage content

• When two options seem correct, the subtler, more nuanced one is usually right

Stop Mismanaging Time on RC Questions

The process of managing time in RC requires more than speed reading because it needs a strategic distribution of resources. The process of reading comprehension requires students to manage their time because they need to use their time efficiently. The two extreme mistakes which students make in reading demonstrate their tendency to read passages quickly to save time while studying and their preference to work on difficult CAT VARC questions instead of completing simpler ones.

Common time management mistakes:

1. The "Equal Time" fallacy: Spending equal time on all passages, regardless of difficulty or your comfort level. In reality, a 400-word abstract philosophy passage might deserve 8 minutes while a 600-word straightforward science passage takes only 6 minutes.

2. The "Sunk Cost" trap: You've spent 2 minutes on a question, so you feel compelled to spend another minute to "not waste" the initial investment. This compounds the time loss.

3. The "No-skip" policy: Attempting every question in order, even when you're stuck. This prevents you from capturing easy marks from questions you could answer quickly later in the section.

Strategic time management:

• You need to read the passage and answer its questions within a time frame of six to eight minutes. The time allocation needs to be modified because it depends on the difficulty level of the passages which need to be assessed. Use the two-minute rule: If you're not close to an answer after 2 minutes, mark and move on.

• The test taker should start their reading process by scanning all passages, then they should read the passages which contain their strongest knowledge base.

• The test taker should spend their initial time with the reading process, which will help them finish questions more quickly.

• The test taker should check their total time spent after completing every two to three questions instead of waiting until they finish the test.

Stop Over-Emphasising Grammar Alone

Students who approach reading comprehension from a grammar-checking method believe they can achieve correct answers by using proper grammar. The CAT reading comprehension test requires candidates to demonstrate their grammatical skills, as well as their reading comprehension abilities. A grammatically perfect option can still be wrong because it fails to match the passage content and does not answer the question.

The mistake occurs because students from the Verbal Ability study material start to use their knowledge for Reading Comprehension tests. VA questions (like sentence correction or para-jumbles) heavily emphasise grammatical rules, but RC questions test comprehension, inference, and reasoning.

Why grammar-focused thinking fails in RC:

• All answer options in CAT are typically grammatical

• The distinction lies in meaning, not structure

• Grammar can't tell you if an option is too extreme, out of scope, or contradicts the passage

• Questions test logical reasoning, not language correctness

The main point of the passage about economic inequality appears in all four answer choices. All four answer choices contained correct grammatical structure, but only one choice expressed the main point of the text. Students who approached it as a grammar exercise had no framework for choosing.

The balanced approach:

• Use grammatical correctness as an elimination filter, not a selection criterion

• The evaluation process requires assessment of the meaning and the logical consistency, and question needs

• The evaluation process needs to answer two questions: "Does this answer the question AND align with passage content?" and "Is this grammatical?"

• The CAT RC test requires you to return to the passage because grammar rules do not guide the assessment process.

Stop Avoiding Difficult Genres or Topics

Students build comfort zones, which lead them to read social science texts, but they avoid reading both abstract philosophy and business materials. When students practice in this manner, they create a dangerous risk because multiple passages from their weak areas will appear in the CAT 2026, which will lead to an assessment score. The CAT exam tests students' reading skills through its requirement, which includes different types of reading materials. Students who studied philosophy passages for CAT 2022 performed better on the existentialism passage than students who did not study those passages.

Why genre avoidance is risky:

• You can't predict CAT's passage selection-any genre could dominate

• Avoiding difficult topics prevents skill development in handling complexity

• Your "comfortable" topics might appear with difficult question sets

• Processing unfamiliar content is itself a tested skill

Genres commonly avoided (but regularly appearing):

• The abstract discipline of philosophy studies three areas, which include epistemology, aesthetics, and ethics, according to CAT 2019, 2021 and 2023.

• The field of literary criticism studies how literature functions through its various methods of operation, according to CAT 2020.

• The field of business and economics studies market structures and policy discussions according to the CAT 2022 and CAT 2024 question papers.

• The study of historical events requires researchers to conduct thorough historical research, which leads to new interpretations of past events, according to the CAT 2021.

• The scientific method represents scientific understanding through its procedural framework, according to CAT 2020 and 2023.

Training delivery requires ongoing practice for every part of your training program.

• Those who refuse to study philosophy should complete two to three philosophy passages each week.

• Students should read materials beyond their test preparation work, which includes The Hindu editorial and Economic and Political Weekly, and Aeon essays.

• Students should find the elements which create challenges for them to understand. Abstract vocabulary? Unfamiliar concepts?

• Should switch their methods to solve problems. Learning requires students to view challenges as opportunities to develop their skills.

• The practice test's difficult sections helped students to experience reduced stress during actual exam situations.

The 2023 CAT question paper included a challenging passage about postmodern art criticism, which proved difficult for most students. The Guardian art reviews and similar sources served as effective study material because students who used them showed improved understanding that led to better test results.

Common RC Mistakes to Avoid in CAT 2026 - Reading Comprehension Errors That Lower VARC Scores

This section highlights the most common Reading Comprehension mistakes CAT 2026 aspirants make, which include poor passage understanding, option traps and weak elimination strategies. The system helps you correct your RC mistakes, which leads to improved VARC accuracy and higher percentile scores.

Stop Trying to Memorise Whole Passages

Some students use a study method which backfires because they try to memorise text passages through specific facts, dates, names and statistics to obtain faster answers. The approach to learning shows multiple failures because it tests a basic misunderstanding of how CAT RC tests function.

Why memorisation fails:

• The CAT test evaluates comprehension skills, which require students to demonstrate understanding of relationships and implications and reasoning instead of repeating factual information.

• Students need to memorise information under exam conditions, but they face two main challenges: anxiety and time limits create difficulties for effective memorisation.

• You can (and should) refer back to locate specific details in the passage which you need to answer the questions.

• The process of memorisation wastes cognitive resources because it requires energy that should go toward understanding the arguments.

What to focus on instead:

• Structure and flow: How ideas connect and build upon each other

• Main argument: The author's central thesis or purpose

• Paragraph purposes: What each paragraph contributes to the overall argument

• Tone and attitude: The author's stance on the subject

Stop Being Impatient with Complex Texts

Students experience anxiety when they encounter complex texts which contain dense information. Students develop impatience because they start to rush through the material, or they stop trying to understand it, or they believe they will never comprehend it. The need to rush results in self-fulfilling outcomes because you learn little from the material which you read at a fast pace. The passage was "impossible" to read because you believed that you would not understand it.

The creators of CAT passages designed their content to remain understandable through slow and thorough reading methods. The assessment does not measure your expertise in philosophy or economics, but it evaluates your ability to read difficult texts at a slow pace and extract their meaning, which proves essential for success in business school.

Signs of counterproductive impatience:

• Reading the same sentence three times without absorbing it because you're anxious

• Skipping sentences with complex structure, hoping the rest makes sense

• Immediately labelling a passage "too difficult" based on the first paragraph

• Rushing to questions before properly understanding the passage

Stop Ignoring Details That Matter

While you shouldn't memorise entire passages, dismissing details entirely is equally problematic. CAT includes 40-45% questions testing specific details, and even inference questions often hinge on particular statements or evidence from the passage.

The mistake isn't in needing to refer back (that's fine), but in reading so superficially that you don't even register where important details are located, forcing complete re-reading to answer detailed questions.

Details that commonly matter:

• Qualifying statements: "Some studies suggest..." vs. "Research consistently shows..."

• Comparative claims: "More effective than" vs. "As effective as"

• Temporal markers: "Previously," "subsequently," "by 2020"

• Scope limiters: "In urban areas," "among young adults," "in this context"

• Evidence supporting arguments: Specific examples or data the author uses

Strategy for managing details:

• Mental bookmarking: As you read, mentally note "Paragraph 2 has the data, Paragraph 3 has the counterargument"

• Mark key transitions: Words like "however," "in contrast," and "furthermore" show important changes in the text

• Note extremes and absolutes: The terms "always," "never," and "the only" require questioning because they define complete limits

• Register evidence: When the author cites an example or study, note what it supports

You create a mental index to find information needed for answering questions instead of memorising content.

Stop Over-Reading or Misreading Questions

Students lose marks because they interpret questions incorrectly, even when they know the passage well. They answer a related but different question, or miss crucial qualifiers that change the question's meaning.

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Common question misreading patterns:

1. Missing the question's scope:

• Question asks: "According to paragraph 2..."

• Student answers based on: Information from paragraph 4

• Result: Wrong, despite understanding the passage

2. Confusing question types:

• Question: "Which of the following can be inferred?" (requires going beyond explicit statements)

• Student approach: Selects something explicitly stated (incorrect for inference questions)

• Or inverse: "According to the passage..." (requires explicit statement)

• Student approach: Selects an inference (incorrect for detail questions)

3. Ignoring key qualifiers:

• Question: "The author would MOST LIKELY agree with..."

• The student thinks: "What does the passage say?" (but the question asks for extrapolation)

• Or: "What is the PRIMARY reason for X?"

• Student selects: A secondary reason that's also mentioned

You can also check CAT 2026 Exam: Mistakes to Avoid for 99+ Percentile

How RC Mistakes Cost You Marks in CAT VARC - Impact on Accuracy, Time, and Percentile

This section explains how common RC mistakes directly lead to negative marking, wasted time, and missed easy questions in CAT VARC. It shows the real score impact of these errors and why fixing them can significantly improve your overall percentile.

Impact on Accuracy

The cumulative effect of these mistakes on your accuracy rate-and therefore your percentile- remains underestimated because it produces substantial effects. The process of showing how minor mistake patterns develop into substantial score differences begins with our analysis.

Real mistake cost analysis from CAT patterns:

Based on mistake pattern analysis from actual CAT mock tests and past papers:

• Falling for trap options: Costs 2-3 marks per passage (1-2 questions), total 8-12 marks across the section

• Time mismanagement: Costs 6-9 marks (2-3 unattempted questions that could've been answered, or rushed mistakes)

• Misreading questions: Costs 3-6 marks (1-2 questions per test)

• Making unsupported assumptions: Costs 3-6 marks (1-2 questions)

• Superficial reading/skimming: Costs 6-9 marks (missing subtle distinctions)

These aren't mutually exclusive-students often make multiple mistake types simultaneously. A student who skims is more likely to also fall for trap options and make unsupported assumptions.

Time Pressure and Exam Strategy

Beyond direct accuracy loss, these mistakes create a vicious cycle of time pressure that compounds mistakes throughout the section and even affects other sections.

The cascade effect:

1. Initial mistake (e.g., skimming a passage too quickly): 1 minute "saved"

2. Consequence: Need to reread for detailed questions: 2 minutes lost

3. Net effect: 1 minute lost + increased anxiety

4. Secondary consequence: Anxiety causes rushed reading of the next passage

5. Tertiary consequence: More mistakes, more time rereading, the cycle continues

• Reduced reading comprehension: When rushed, you process superficially, missing nuances

• Impaired option evaluation: You grab the first "good enough" answer instead of comparing all options

• Emotional toll: Stress and panic impair cognitive function for subsequent questions and sections

• Strategic abandonment: No time for tactics like eliminating wrong answers or making educated guesses

• Spillover effects: Starting Quant/DILR section already stressed affects performance there too

The time-efficiency paradox:

Counter-intuitive research shows that students who read passages twice show better performance because:

• Their first reading enables them to answer questions without further review.

• They don't need to fully reread passages (just targeted reference)

• They make fewer mistakes, requiring time-consuming mistake recovery

Mock Test vs Real Exam Performance

Perhaps the most insidious aspect of these mistakes is the false confidence they create through mock test performance that doesn't translate to actual CAT scores/percentiles. Many students perform well in CAT mock tests at home, then underperform dramatically on exam day.

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Why mock performance misleads:

1. Different stress levels:

• Home mock: Comfortable environment, pause buttons, no real consequences

• Real CAT: High-stakes pressure, one shot, no second chances

• Mistakes like "falling for trap options" or "misreading questions" multiply under stress

2. Topic familiarity:

• Mock tests: After 20-30 mocks, you've seen similar passage topics and question types

• Real CAT: Novel passage topics, unfamiliar contexts, fresh question constructions

• Students who've practised avoiding "difficult genres" face a reckoning when the CAT includes multiple passages from avoided areas

3. Time management discipline:

• Home mock: Can pause, take breaks, come back; less strict about section timing

• Real CAT: 40 minutes of continuous pressure; time lost is gone forever

• Time mismanagement tolerated in practice becomes catastrophic in an exam

4. Answer-checking habits:

• Mock tests: Students often check answers immediately or return to change answers multiple times

• Real CAT: Live by your choices; second-guessing wastes precious time

Practice questions from diverse sources:

For each passage, create or use existing questions testing:

• Main idea/primary purpose

• Specific details

• Inference

• Tone/Attitude

• Application

This ensures you're not just reading but also answering CAT-style questions on diverse content.

Last-Minute RC Revision Tips for CAT - Quick Strategies to Maximise VARC Score Before Exam Day

This section provides fast-reading tips which produce significant results for CAT Reading Comprehension through smart passage selection, option elimination and under-pressure performance assessment. The program enables you to improve your reading comprehension skills through dedicated practice during your final preparation period, thus increasing your VARC score potential.

Final Week Strategy:

Do:

• The mistake logs should be reviewed because the user needs to spend 30 minutes each day to examine their previous mistakes from mock exams instead of taking complete mock exams again.

• You should read two to three passages every day because it helps you build reading stamina without creating fatigue.

• Students need to practice one passage from each of their weaker areas because it helps them maintain their mental sharpness.

• You should complete one timed section test three to four days before the exam and then take a break until the exam day.

• Mental rehearsal: Visualise yourself calmly executing your strategy on exam day

Don't:

• Take new full mocks in the final 3 days: Risk of lowering confidence if you have a bad day

• Try new strategies: Stick with what you've practised; exam day is not for experiments

• Obsess over unknowns: Accept you can't predict passage topics; trust your versatility

• Cram new material: Won't meaningfully improve skill in final days; focus on execution

Day Before Exam:

• The practice session consists of two reading passages, which students must complete without any time limits in their preferred reading categories.

• The checklist review process requires you to read your customised mistake list, which you should not make during your work. The materials which you need to prepare include your admission ticket, identification documents, and a water bottle, as well as snacks which you will use during your breaks. The evening relaxation includes reading materials which do not belong to CAT content, and the person will go to sleep early, and he will not study for exams.

• Mental preparation requires you to remember both your personal strengths and the complete track of your training progress. The morning of exam day begins with breakfast, which students need to eat because they will need to maintain their energy, but they should not choose foods which will make them feel sleepy.

• The reading exercise requires students to spend 10 to 15 minutes reading newspaper editorials which do not contain CAT reading materials. The mantras you need to review include your statement, which says to read with care and to remove elements in a systematic way, depending on your study results.

• Students should arrive at the examination site before their scheduled time because extra time helps them handle their test day stress. The person should stay away from friends who create a negative atmosphere because he should not participate in talks which make him anxious about testing challenges.

Common Mistakes to Steer Clear of in CAT Verbal Ability (RC Focus): Errors that affect your VARC performance

This section highlights frequent mistakes candidates make in the Verbal Ability part of CAT, with a strong focus on Reading Comprehension, such as misinterpreting context and choosing trap options. It helps you correct these habits to improve your consistency, which will result in better performance on VARC assessments

Stop Ignoring Answer Choices Carefully

The students who studied the text thoroughly read the passage, but they selected their answers by choosing the first option that appeared to be correct without doing proper testing of all four existing choices. The RC section creates major difficulties because its answer choices in CAT tests are constructed to resemble each other with deceptive accuracy.

Why this matters: The CAT 2022 environmental policy question contained two answer choices which shared 90% of their content because they differed only in one word that showed their different meanings between "primarily" and "exclusively." Students who didn't read both carefully selected the wrong one.

Practical implementation:

In your mocks, track:

• Questions where you were uncertain but got right (lucky)

• Questions where you were uncertain and got wrong (unlucky)

• Questions you skipped that you later realised you could've answered

After 5-6 mocks, you'll know your personal "uncertainty threshold"-the confidence level below which attempting costs more than skipping. Students should skip all work which they believe they can complete with less than 60 per cent certainty.

Avoiding the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out):

Students often think: "But what if I skip a question I could've answered?"

The CAT test results show better performance when students skip 2 to 3 uncertain questions because their accuracy on the rest of the questions exceeds their test attempts. Trust the math, not the fear.

The selection strategy in practice:

During exam:

1. Quickly scan all RC passages (30 seconds total) and questions

2. Identify 2-3 passages that seem most accessible

3. Attempt these thoroughly (aim for 90%+ accuracy)

4. If time remains, attempt questions from the remaining passages where you can confidently eliminate options

5. Leave truly uncertain questions unattempted

This strategy consistently outperforms the "attempt everything in order" approach.

Conclusion: Avoid These RC Mistakes to Boost Your CAT VARC Score and Percentile

The section presents essential Reading Comprehension errors which the text demonstrates and shows how their elimination leads to better accuracy, time management and increased confidence for CAT VARC. The study provides practical results which help students improve their reading comprehension skills.

Recap of Top Mistakes

Success in CAT RC depends on correct test management because most mistakes lead to automatic failure. We will summarise all the main mistakes which we detected.

The Fatal Five Mistakes:

1. Superficial reading and skimming: Rushing through passages to save time, but then wasting more time rereading and making mistakes. The CAT 2023 pattern shows that students who spent 3 to 4 minutes reading a passage and studying its content were able to finish their work faster than students who used skimming techniques.

2. Falling for trap options: Answering questions based on the right-sounding answers, which actually contain hidden mistakes because they are either too extreme or true yet irrelevant, or they contradict the passage information. One word difference between primarily and exclusively in the CAT 2022 environmental policy question shows how that single word explained the right answer about that question.

3. Making unsupported assumptions: The evidence from the passage shows that people create outside knowledge and logical reasoning which they believe to be true. The renewable energy passage from CAT 2023 showed how "lack of public awareness" seemed reasonable but wasn't mentioned, while "inadequate grid infrastructure" was explicitly stated.

4. Time mismanagement: people make mistakes because they either rush through tasks or they spend too much time trying to solve one difficult problem, which leads to spending their time working on simpler questions. The 6-8 minute reading pattern with 2-minute question limits establishes a passage reading which prevents both passage reading extremes.

5. Genre avoidance: Students need to work on their comfortable topics because they will face challenges when CAT tests them with reading material from their weakest areas. The CAT 2022 philosophy passage on existentialism shocked many students who had prepared for the test by avoiding abstract philosophy during their study time.

The Compounding Effect:

The mistakes create a combined effect which works as one single mistake. A student who skims passages (Mistake 1) is more likely to fall for trap options (Mistake 2) because they haven't deeply understood the passage. The need to reread, which creates time pressure (Mistake 4) leads to an increase in mistakes. The two patterns together will decrease your RC score by 15-20 marks, which results in a 10-15 percentile drop across the 95-99 range.

The Good News:

The complete prevention of these mistakes requires dedicated training, which shows better results than natural talent. Every mistake pattern we've discussed has a concrete solution:

• Superficial reading → Active reading techniques

• Trap options → Systematic elimination and careful option evaluation

• Unsupported assumptions → Discipline of finding textual support

• Time mismanagement → Strategic allocation and the 2-minute rule

• Genre avoidance → Diversified practice across all passage types

Students who have methodically worked on these mistake patterns achieved better reading comprehension results by progressing from 60-65% accuracy to 80-90% accuracy after 8-12 weeks of dedicated practice. The strategies proved effective because hundreds of successful CAT takers demonstrated their results in actual testing situations.

Accountability:

You should present this CAT study plan to your study partner or mentor. Your weekly progress assessments will maintain your integrity while keeping you driven. You should consider becoming a member of online CAT preparation groups, which will enable you to share your mistake patterns and study techniques with your fellow members.

Final Thought:

Every year, CAT produces success stories of students who weren't naturally gifted readers but who succeeded through systematic mistake elimination. You read this guide because you want to succeed on CAT 2026. Your RC score improvement is possible through existing strategies, which have proven their effectiveness. The question is whether you will follow through with all of them throughout the upcoming 12-week period.

The CAT 2026 test will present unknown passages to candidates. The test will include different types of questions. The mistake patterns display three essential characteristics because they can be predicted and prevented, and you need to be able to manage them. You will enhance your RC score by learning to avoid these mistakes because this ability will help you manage challenging texts during high-pressure situations, which will benefit you throughout your MBA program and professional life. Also, use the CAT 2026 best books to boost your overall preparation.

Your journey from wherever you are now to CAT 90%+ RC accuracy starts with a single passage read actively, a single trap option recognised and eliminated, and a single unsupported assumption caught before it costs you marks. Start your journey by taking your first step today.

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Close this guide, then start your first practice passage. The official start of your CAT 2026 preparation happens at this moment.