I went on to score a 99.9 percentile in CAT 2024 in the VARC Section (~Rank 293), with 52 marks in VARC alone, which accounted for over 57% of my total score of 90.4 and 98.64 percentile overall.
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I also performed well in XAT, scoring a 99.26 percentile in Verbal and 98.34 percentile overall.
Which finally got me into my dream B-School XLRI Jamshedpur!
So let's go into how you do the same and get into the B-school of your dreams. Here is a 3 step process you can use :
Step 1: Understand the Conditions – Read the pitch, weather, and match format (i.e., understand CAT/XAT as tests)
CAT and XAT are like Test vs ODI, yes different pitches, different strategies. Know the game before you play. CAT is RC-heavy, with 4–5 medium to long passages making up 16 out of 24 VARC questions. Ignoring RC is like walking into a Test match and refusing to play spin, you’re setting yourself up to fail.
Like a great batsman or bowler, you need to read the pitch and wind. That is, understand the paper pattern, difficulty, and scoring zones before deciding your approach.
And here’s the truth: VARC can make or break your rank. It’s often the most scorable section, especially since DILR and QA are known to be unpredictable or tough. For many aspirants, quant or DILR may not be their cup of tea and that’s okay. But that’s exactly why you need to maximize your edge in VARC.
You can do it. This is your powerplay, time to score big.
Step 2: Play Well – Stick to your strengths, handle pressure, keep a steady run rate (i.e., focus on accuracy and time).
CAT VARC is made up of two main parts:
- Reading Comprehension (RC) – 16 questions
- Verbal Ability (VA) – 8 questions (Para jumbles, Odd one out, Summaries, etc.)
RC Strategy
1. Read paragraph by paragraph. After each one, pause and recall what you just read. Yes, it’s time-consuming. Is it worth it? Absolutely
2. Don’t read the questions first. Understand the passage fully first.
Once you're familiar with the context, most questions become easy.
Read with intention.
3. Engineers (like me) often prefer technical topics. Be aware of your biases, there’s no shortcut to careful reading.
4. Focus on quality over quantity. You don’t need five sources. One or two reliable ones, done consistently, is enough.
VA Strategy
1. Para Jumbles (PJ):
- Read all lines once, no assumptions.
- Find opening and closing sentences, then arrange.
2. Para Summary:
- Same approach as RC: read slowly, absorb the point.
3. Odd One Out:
- Also like Para jumbles, find the sentence that breaks the flow.
4. Grammar & Sentence Correction :
- Practice regularly to build accuracy.
5. Fill in the Blanks (Vocabulary-based):
- Practice, it helps build muscle memory
6. Word Usage / Confused Words:
- Practice to internalize tricky distinctions.
7. Poem-Based Questions:
- Approach like RCs - focus on tone and flow.
8. Critical Reasoning:
- Practice logical flow and elimination.
9. Analogies or Logical Completion:
- Practice for intuition and pattern recognition.
Step 3 : Find an Edge - Master the shots others avoid, think sweep shots in cricket. In VARC, that’s VA questions like para jumbles, poems, abstract RC's. They're tricky but scorable once mastered.
1. Test as much as you can – Simulate game-day. The more matches you play, the better you read the pitch.
2. Practice with intention – VARC comes first in the exam, so build the habit of starting strong.
3. Avoid Reverse-reading – Trust your comprehension and stay in the flow.
4. Play your shots – You don’t need to hit every ball; solve what you can with confidence.
5. Not sure? - Use elimination. If it’s the 2 option dilemma (2OD), guess your best, strategic risks matter.
Conclusion
Yes, you can. It’s not about miracles, it’s about momentum.
Practice consistently, and progress will follow.
Natural ability helps, but it’s not everything - skill can be built.
I panicked on the exam day and still cracked it.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be prepared, present, and persistent.
"When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor." - Elon Musk
FAQs
i) Will I ever ‘get’ VARC?
Absolutely. If you read enough and practice smart, patterns will start repeating. You'll build your instinct and that’s gold.
ii) What if I’m from a non-English background?
That’s fine. Don’t reject yourself before the exam. Show up, give it your best. Let the IIMs decide and not your self-doubt.
iii) Can I really improve in a few months?
Yes. Start with where you are. Track progress, build consistency. Many go from 60s to 99+ just through habit and intent.
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