CAT 2026 VARC has 24 questions - 16 Reading Comprehension and 8 Verbal Ability - in a strict 40-minute window. Download the last 10 years CAT VARC question papers with solutions below. Then check the topic-wise weightage table to see where the 72 marks come from.
Official website: iimcat.ac.in
- CAT 2026 Exam Date: November 29, 2026 | Conducted by: IIM Indore
- VARC section: 24 questions, 72 marks, 40 minutes - first section in the paper
- Reading Comprehension: 16 questions across 4 passages, 4 questions per passage - 66% of VARC marks
- Verbal Ability: 8 questions covering Para Summary, Para Jumbles, and Odd Sentence
- Marking: +3 correct, -1 wrong MCQ; no negative for TITA questions (Para Jumbles and Odd Sentence are TITA)
- CAT 2024 change: Para Insertion added; Para Jumbles returned after being dropped in some earlier years
- Registration: Aug 3 to Sep 15, 2026 at iimcat.ac.in
CAT VARC Sample Papers 2026 - Download PDF
Start with the numbered sample papers below, then use the year-wise PYQ table for past papers.
| Sample Paper | PDF Download |
|---|---|
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 4 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 5 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 13 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 14 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 15 | Download PDF |
| CAT VARC Sample Paper 16 | Download PDF |
| Year | Slots Available | Solutions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2024 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2023 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2022 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2021 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2020 | Slot 1, Slot 2 | Available | Collegedunia |
CAT VARC Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2026
VARC is the first section. You get 40 minutes - once time ends, the system locks you out.
| Sub-section | Questions | Marks | Type | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16 | 48 | MCQ | -1 per wrong answer |
| Para Summary | 3 | 9 | MCQ | -1 per wrong answer |
| Para Jumbles | 2-3 | 6-9 | TITA | No negative marking |
| Odd Sentence / Para Insertion | 2-3 | 6-9 | TITA | No negative marking |
| Total VARC | 24 | 72 | Mixed | 40-minute window |
CAT VARC Sample Papers with Para Insertion Changes - Why 2024 and 2025 Papers Matter Most
CAT 2024 added Para Insertion as a regular type and brought back Para Jumbles. Start with 2025, then 2024 - use 2022-2023 for RC practice only.
Note: Para Summary was MCQ in most CAT 2025 slots. Check the specific slot before finalizing your approach.
CAT VARC Topic Wise Weightage - High Scoring Topics to Focus in Sample Papers
RC accounts for 16 of 24 VARC questions. The passage topic matters less than reading speed. Master each VA type separately using sample papers.
| Topic | Questions | Difficulty | What to Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| RC - Economics and Business | 4-5 | Moderate | Cause-effect arguments, data embedded in prose |
| RC - Science and Technology | 3-4 | Moderate-Hard | Dense vocabulary, inference-heavy questions |
| RC - Philosophy and Literature | 3-4 | Hard | Abstract reasoning, author tone and intent |
| RC - Social Sciences | 3-4 | Moderate | Argument evaluation, factual vs inferential split |
| Para Summary | 3 | Easy-Moderate | Central idea options vs detailed summary traps |
| Para Jumbles | 2-3 | Moderate | Mandatory link pairs, opener and closer identification |
| Odd Sentence Out | 2-3 | Moderate-Hard | Topic drift, contrast clues, pronoun referents |
| Para Insertion / Missing Sentence | 2 | Moderate | Logical flow, transition words, referential coherence |
Do not skip Para Summary. Three questions at +3 adds 9 marks - the lowest negative risk in VARC.
CAT VARC Sample Paper Video Solutions 2026 - Watch Before You Start Solving
Watching one VARC paper walkthrough shows how to approach passage selection and time allocation - not just the answers.
Watch: CAT VARC Past Year Papers - Detailed Analysis and Solutions
Format: Playlist | Covers: Multiple years, full paper walkthroughs with detailed reasoning
How to Use CAT VARC Sample Papers to Hit 99 Percentile
The gap between 90 and 99 percentile in VARC is RC accuracy under time pressure, not paper count.
- Skim all 4 passages first. Mark difficulty order and solve the easiest passage first.
- Do all TITA VA questions first. Para Jumbles, Odd Sentence, and Para Insertion have no negative marking - attempt all before returning to RC.
- After each paper, classify every wrong RC answer. Wrong inference, missed detail, or passage not read - track which pattern you are fixing.
- Track your sectional score across 10 papers. Stuck below 45 means reading speed is the bottleneck. Stuck below 60 means VA accuracy is the gap.
CAT VARC Sectional Strategy - How to Hit the Cutoff Using Sample Papers
VARC is where most students lose time by over-reading. The top IIM cutoff is 85-90 percentile, roughly 45-50 marks out of 72.
- Target 18-20 attempts with 80% accuracy over 24 attempts at 65% - the net score is higher.
- Use all 3 slots from the same year to check consistency across different RC topics and difficulty levels.
- Track your RC vs VA time split across 10 papers. More than 32 minutes on RC means TITA marks are being left behind.
- Para Summary has the best effort-to-marks ratio. Three MCQ questions with a clear central idea - attempt all 3 unless you are completely stuck.
CAT VARC 4 Week Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- Week 1 - Solve 2025 Slot 1 untimed. After finishing, classify every wrong RC answer as wrong inference, missed detail, or tone error.
- Week 2 - Solve 2025 Slot 2 and Slot 3 under strict 40-minute timing. Track RC and VA accuracy separately.
- Week 3 - Solve all three 2024 slots on different days. Check if accuracy holds when passage topics shift. No timing extensions.
- Week 4 - One full CAT mock daily covering all three sections. Stop new papers 2 days before the exam and review your error log only.
FAQs on CAT VARC Sample Papers 2026
Ques. How many CAT VARC sample papers are enough to score above 95 percentile?
Ans. 15 to 20 full VARC sections from PYQs. Students who solve 30 papers without an error log rarely cross 85 percentile.
Ques. Are CAT VARC questions repeated in new papers?
Ans. RC passages are never repeated. VA structures - Para Jumble patterns and Para Summary traps - recur year to year. Five years of PYQs trains you to spot them.
Ques. Which slot should I start with for CAT VARC practice?
Ans. Start with 2025 Slot 1 - it has Para Insertion and the latest pattern. Then finish all three 2025 slots before moving to 2024.
Ques. Can I hit 99 percentile in CAT VARC in 30 days using only sample papers?
Ans. Unlikely from below 70 percentile. Focused 30-day work can move you from 70 to 90 percentile. The 90 to 99 jump needs 3 to 4 months of daily reading alongside papers.
Ques. Where can I download CAT VARC sample papers with answer key PDF for free?
Ans. Collegedunia hosts CAT previous year question papers with solutions. The numbered sample papers on this page will be available for direct download once PDFs are published.
Ques. Is RC alone enough for a good VARC score?
Ans. RC at 80% accuracy gives roughly 38 marks - around 70-75 percentile. To cross 85 percentile for top IIMs, you need at least 6 of the 8 VA questions correct too.
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