How to Attempt the VARC Section for a 99+ Percentile?

To score in the 99th percentile in the VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), students need to score between 38 - 42.

Students need to attempt 13 - 15 correct responses out of 18 - 20 questions with an accuracy rate of 80 - 85%.

• Based on recent CAT trends, a score of around 39–45 marks can be used as a broad preparation benchmark for the 99 percentile range.
• Candidates should prioritise RC passages and questions that they can solve with a high level of confidence instead of attempting questions simply to increase their attempt count.
• Maintaining 80–85% or higher accuracy should be a key target, as incorrect MCQ attempts can reduce the overall VARC score.
• Candidates should regularly solve CAT previous year question papers under timed conditions and analyse their attempts, accuracy and mistakes after each paper.
• Candidates should also take CAT 2026 mock tests regularly to track their section-wise score, time spent, question selection and accuracy.

Related Links:

• What is CAT 2026? Check Exam Date, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Marking Scheme
• CAT VARC Syllabus 2026: Check Topic Weightage, Preparation Strategy
• CAT Topic-Wise Weightage for QA, VARC, and DILR

Key Summary

• The CAT exam 2026 VARC paper will consist of 24 questions in total.
• The CAT VARC 2026 paper carries 75 marks in total. +3 marks for each correct answer and -1 for wrong attempts.
• In CAT 2026 there is no negative marking for non-MCQ (TITA) questions.
• The Reading Comprehension (RC) consists of 16 questions.
• The Verbal Ability (VA) consists of 8 questions in the CAT exam.
• A total of 40 minutes will be allotted to complete the CAT VARC paper.

What is the CAT Exam 2026 VARC Exam Pattern?

• A total of 18 questions are asked from the Reading Comprehension section.
• Further, there are a total of 8 questions asked from the Verbal Ability section.

Check out the table shared showing the question count.

What is the VARC Marking Scheme?

The CAT 2026 marking scheme for the VARC paper is shown below.

Related Articles:

• CAT 2026 Total Marks: Check Paper-Wise Total Questions and Marking
• CAT 2026 VARC Syllabus: Check Topic-Wise Weightage

How Many Questions Should You Attempt for 99+ Percentile in VARC?

• There is no fixed number of attempts that guarantees a 99+ percentile. However, previous CAT data can be used to establish a practical preparation target.
• Recent CAT 2025 analysis placed the VARC score for the 99 percentile at around 39–42 marks, with slot-wise estimates of approximately 40–41 marks.

A useful preparation target can therefore be:

Correct Approach to Attempt VARC Section for 99+ Percentile

• If you wish to secure a 99+ percentile in the CAT 2026 VARC section, then you must have the correct approach towards it.
• Having a strategically planned study schedule and correct resources and materials is helpful.

Check out the YouTube video shared showing strategies to secure 99+ percentile in CAT exam 2026 VARC paper.

A Reddit user asked, “what is the preparation strategy of 99%tilers for VARC”?

Related Links:

• 100 Marks in CAT Percentile: Check Expected Percentile
• CAT 2026 Study Material: Check Materials PDF Links for QA, VARC, and DILR
• CAT VARC Paper Analysis: Check Previous Year Paper Difficulty Level

How to Attempt CAT 2026 VARC Paper in 40 Minutes?

Some of the useful tips students must learn to attempt the CAT exam 2026 VARC paper in 40 minutes effectively is shared here.

It is mainly divided into 3 sections, as mentioned below.

Step 1: Analyse the Paper

For the first 2-3 minutes, students must go through the RC questions in detail to understand the format and structure.

It is advised that students must not rush and start immediately with answering the questions.

• Identify the length of the RC passages.
• Look for the topics and subject areas covered.
• Check on the number of questions.
• Check the potential difficulty level of the questions.
• Focus on the language of the questions, whether easy or difficult.

Step 2: Attempt the Easy Questions First

After analyzing the paper in detail go with answering easy questions first.

• Students must not waste time on finding the answers of unfamiliar or tricky questions first.
• Rather focus on known ones and start attempting them as quickly as possible.
• Applicants must look at the questions level, readability, and time consumption and then start answering.

Step 3: Focus on Unfamiliar, Difficult, or Time Consuming Questions

After covering the RC paper, students must proceed with VA questions and unfamiliar RC questions.

• Here as well, first look for known VA questions.
• Start calculating answers for other unknown questions of RC & VA.

This trick will help students complete their VARC paper in 40 minutes and will also allow them 2-3 minutes for quick revision.

Related Articles:

• CAT 2026 Sample Paper: Check QA, VARC, and DILR Questions
• CAT VARC Sample Papers: Check Last 5 Years Question Paper
• CAT Sample Paper Full-Length Mock Test With Solutions PDF

What is the Ideal Time Management Strategy for CAT 2026 VARC Paper?

To secure a 99+ percentile in the VARC paper of the CAT exam 2026, students must be aware of time management.

Check out the suggested time-management trick below for reference.

NOTE: The above-mentioned time management details have been shared as suggestions only.

Students can completely prepare their own schedule and design their answering format as per their convenience.

Related Articles:

Check CAT Exam Previous Year Question Paper Links:

How to Attempt the VARC Section for a 99+ Percentile? FAQs