1. Reading Isn’t Processing

Reading is like watching cricket highlights. Sure, you saw the big sixes, but did you really understand the strategy behind the chase?

It’s the same with VARC. You might read an article, even finish it quickly, but did you:

• Understand the author's tone?
• Catch the subtle contradictions?
• Predict what comes next?

CAT VARC doesn’t test your reading speed. It tests your reading depth.

So if you’re just passively reading editorials without reflecting, it’s like doing cardio and expecting abs. You need targeted training.

2. The Illusion of Comfort Reading

We love reading what we already understand, sports blogs, movie reviews, and Instagram captions. It’s easy, it feels good. But CAT RCs will throw at you philosophy, economics, obscure science topics... basically, stuff you'd scroll past on a normal day.

And here’s the catch: reading only comfortable content gives you false confidence. It's like lifting 2kg dumbbells every day and wondering why your biceps aren’t growing.

Push yourself. Read stuff that confuses you. Then pause. Break it down. Re-read. That’s where the real progress happens.

3. Reading + Thinking = VARC Gains

Want to know the real secret sauce?

Active Reading. That means asking questions while reading.

• “What’s the main idea here?”
• “Is this example supporting or opposing the author’s point?”
• “Why did the author include this detail?”

It’s like turning on your inner Sherlock Holmes. The passage isn’t just words; there’s a case to solve. And you need to stay alert, not just breeze through it like a bedtime story.

4. Practice What You Read

Reading without solving questions is like watching cooking reels and never entering the kitchen. You won’t learn how to flip the paratha till you mess up a few!

So here’s what you do:

• After reading a dense article, create 3 questions on it yourself.
• Try paraphrasing the central idea in your own words.
• Pick an RC passage and write why you chose or eliminated each option.

This trains your brain to spot traps and think like a CAT examiner.

5. VARC = RC + VA + Practice Strategy

Don’t sleep on the VA part. Para-jumbles, odd one outs, summary questions, they need logic, not just English fluency. If you’re skipping these and only focusing on RCs, it’s like working out legs and ignoring arms.

Build a VARC plan that includes:

• Timed reading + questioning
• Daily 2–3 RCs from previous CAT papers
• Para-jumble practice (start with 2 choices, move to 4)
• Error log of every question you got wrong, and why

Read Smart, Not Just More

Reading is important, but not enough. But if you read with purpose? That’s gold. Reading, thinking, practicing, and reviewing? That’s how you ace VARC.

So stop guilt-tripping over not finishing today’s editorial. Instead, pick one challenging piece, tear it apart, question it, and solve a few RCs. That 30-minute session will do more for your score than 3 hours of aimless scrolling through long paragraphs.