VARC Reading Tricks for CAT 2026: Proven Strategies from IIM A topper

Overview: Boost your CAT 2026 VARC section with the most effective VARC reading tricks and strategies, straight from an IIM Ahmedabad topper.

Learn how to streamline your Reading Comprehension and Verbal prep to maximise accuracy, speed, and confidence — and set yourself up for a 99+ percentile score.

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Vaidik Lad, a 2nd-year PGP student at IIM Ahmedabad and a 99+ percentile CAT scorer, guides you through the same practical, easy-to-apply methods that helped him master VARC. 

Drawing from his own journey to a 99+ percentile in CAT, Vaidik reveals the practical, no-fluff techniques that helped him boost his VARC performance and maintain consistency under exam pressure.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:
✅ The most common RC reading mistakes CAT aspirants make
✅ The right way to read RCs efficiently
✅ How to balance speed with understanding 
✅ Proven strategies from IIM Ahmedabad toppers
✅ Smart ways to minimise negative marking in VARC

Continue reading to know the most important VARC reading tricks for 99%ile in CAT 2026

VARC Reading Tricks for CAT 2026: Vaidik Lad's Method

Simply reading an article once is not enough. You need to read actively and analyse what you read.

Here are the VARC reading tricks for CAT 2026 from IIM A topper: the three-step process:

Step 1: Quick Scan for Main Ideas

• Read the article quickly, just like you would in the actual VARC section.
• Do not stop or go back.
• Note down the author's tone and what the author is trying to say.
• Understand the general flow of the paragraphs.

Step 2️⃣: Slow and Deep Comprehension

• Now, read the article again, but this time, read slowly.
• Think about what the author truly wants to communicate.
• Focus on understanding the deeper meaning.

Step 3️⃣: Summarise and Check Recall

• Write a summary of what you just read in one to three paragraphs.
• This step helps you check how much you remember and understand.
• While in the actual CAT exam, you will only have time for the first step, practising steps two and three helps train your brain to read more effectively and recall information more effectively.

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This detailed reading process might take at least 30 to 45 minutes per article at first. However, as you continue practising, it will become faster. 

If you read a 1000-1500-word article every day for 90 days, you will have read more than 90,000 words.

 This equals about 60 full RC passages, leading to a significant improvement in your comprehension and reading skills.

Why is it important to learn VARC reading tricks for CAT 2026?

Understanding VARC reading tricks by an IIM topper, now the question is, why is it important to read the VARC section effectively? 

Well, VARC is not just a test of your English grammar or vocabulary. Instead, it checks your ability to understand complex text, use logic, and feel comfortable with dense paragraphs.

This section combines speed reading with reasoning, creating a high-pressure situation. Here's why reading is truly important for your VARC preparation:

1. Reading Comprehension (RC) Makes Up Most of VARC

About 70% of the VARC section is RC. This means if you master reading, you master a huge part of the exam.

2. Questions Go Beyond Simple Facts

• CAT VARC questions are not about finding a direct answer in the passage.
• They ask about the author's tone, their point of view, and the main idea. You need to read deeply to infer these details.

3. Every Passage is Important and has Value

• The difficulty of questions within an RC passage can vary. Some are easy, some are moderate, and some are hard.
• You must read all passages to find and answer the easier questions.

4. Time Limitation

• You need to read about four RC passages, which can be over 1500 words, in roughly 30 minutes.
• On top of that, you need to understand the author's message and underlying points. This requires strong reading skills.

5. Top Scorers Are Big Readers

Almost every VARC topper shares one common habit: they read a lot. Whether from childhood newspapers or books, this habit helps them naturally understand text better. This ability makes scoring high in VARC much easier.

VARC Reading Tricks for CAT 2026: How Does it Boost Your VARC Skills?

Developing a consistent reading habit helps you in several ways:

1️⃣Deeper Understanding: You will grasp more details and nuances from each passage.

2️⃣Faster Reading: Your reading speed will steadily get better over time.

3️⃣Greater Accuracy: You will make fewer mistakes and avoid negative marking.

4️⃣Better Focus: You won't zone out or read mindlessly. Your mind will stay engaged with the text.

The main difference between someone scoring 50 percentile and someone scoring 95 percentile often comes down to their reading habits. One person reads regularly, and the other does not.

What You Should Read for CAT VARC 2026? 

It can be confusing to know where to start reading. Here are some guidelines:

✅Choose CAT-Like Articles

Focus on articles that are similar to what you would find in the CAT exam. Don't just pick up any random book or social media post.

Look for specific topic types that often appear in CAT. These include:

• Humanities
• Economics
• Science
• Sociology
• Ethics
• Philosophy

Make sure the articles cover these common subjects.

Read More: How many Mocks to Give Before CAT Exam?

✅Balance Difficulty Levels

• CAT passages come in easy, medium, and hard levels. When you read for practice, you should also read a mix of these difficulties.
• Challenge yourself with hard articles, but also read easier ones to maintain balance.
• For example, if you are an engineer, science passages might be easy for you.
• But you also need to read philosophical passages to get comfortable with different types of text.

✅Stick to a Few Reliable Sources

You do not need to read from ten different websites or five newspapers. It is better to choose three to four reliable sources and read from them consistently.

Here are some suggested sources to consider:

• Aeon Essays
• The Guardian
• New York Times
• Al Jazeera
• The Economist
• Smithsonian Magazine

Check Now: Most Important CAT Vocabulary Questions 

✅Most Importantly: Read Daily

Set aside about 30 to 45 minutes every day just for reading. Consistency is more important than reading for many hours once a week.

✅Don't Worry About Enjoying Every Article

People often say to start reading something you enjoy. But for CAT, you should try to read even articles that are tough or uncomfortable.

The CAT exam will likely include passages that challenge you. Getting used to this discomfort will help you on test day.

VARC Reading Tricks for CAT 2026: The Bonus Benefit

Reading is a skill that helps you far beyond just the VARC section.

• Improved Focus: In today's world, with short attention spans, regular reading helps you concentrate better for longer periods. This benefits other sections like Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), which also have long passages.
• Better Understanding of Quant: You will understand Quantitative Aptitude questions more easily.
• Interview and Writing Skills: Reading helps you prepare for written ability tests and interviews by improving your communication and thought process.

Reading is a long-term goal. It is not just about scoring in VARC or RC. It is about developing a core ability that helps you in many parts of your academic and professional life.

A Special VARC Reading Trick for Reluctant Readers

Vaidik Lad shares a personal trick for those who, like him, are not naturally big readers: "I am not a big reader, and I do not generally like reading," he admits. Reading one article a day felt like a huge task.

If he did not feel like reading, he would force himself to take a VARC sectional test. This strategy offered several benefits:

• CAT-Like Passages: Sectional tests contain passages that are similar in difficulty to the actual CAT exam.
• Real Testing: It tested his reading skills by asking him to answer questions.
• Forced Reading: He still read about 1500 words in 30-40 minutes, just like in a real exam.

Vaidik found this approach very effective. He took many more VARC sectional tests than Quant or DILR tests.

While consistent daily reading is important, using VARC sectional tests can be a great way to boost your reading ability, especially if you find it hard to start.

Conclusion: 

To achieve a 99+ percentile in CAT VARC, the most powerful tool you have is consistent, purposeful reading. It is not about complex tricks or formulas, but about building a strong foundation in comprehension and logic.

Start by choosing CAT-like articles, read a mix of difficulties from a few trusted sources, and make reading a daily habit.

Use the three-step active reading method to grasp the content fully. Remember, reading will not only improve your VARC score but also sharpen your focus and skills for other exam sections and future challenges.