CAT 2025: How to use First 10 Minutes in VARC
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Content Writer | Updated On - Nov 28, 2025
The VARC section of CAT 2025 continues to be the most important and unpredictable part of the exam. While the total duration of VARC is 40 minutes, experienced and topper candidates repeatedly mention that the first 10 minutes decide almost 50% of the final VARC score.
- Expert’s analysis and several CAT mock test evaluations reveal that aspirants who utilise their first 10 minutes strategically tend to score 20-25% higher in the VARC section.
- These initial 10 minutes help candidates in assessing passage difficulty level quickly, picking up the most scoring RCs and minimising errors that can affect the accuracy up to 40%.
Let’s understand how a focused 10-minute approach can become your biggest advantage in the CAT 2025 VARC score.
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Why Do the First 10 Minutes Matter for VARC in CAT 2025?
A good VARC attempt relies on selection and not speed. Usually, aspirants lose marks due to attempting the wrong RC passages, starting with Paragraph Jumbles, mismanaging accuracy, especially in inference-based Questions. Tips and experiences shared by successful candidates on a Reddit post show that:
- About 40% of low scorers start with Paragraph Jumbles or Odd-one Out, which disrupts the flow.
- Nearly 60-70% high scorers spend the first 8-10 minutes only scanning and selecting doable passages.
- Aspirants who invest the first 10 minutes in analysis tend to gain 8-12 marks extra on average.
Thus, the opening minutes are not for solving paper but for building the best strategy for yourself.
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Ques: Do I need to start with VA part in VARC section of CAT 2025?
Ans: It is not compulsory to start with the VA. However, if you are comfortable with VA and if it seems easy, you must start with it. Also, give a quick scan to the RC part too. If one short RC looks familiar and doable, start with RC. The strategy is to start with the easy and doable questions first.
Ques: How many questions should I aim to get 90-99 percentile in VARC section for CAT 2025?
Ans: Aspirants must attempt the following number of questions to achieve 90-99 percentile in VARC section:
- 99 Percentile: 18-22 questions with 75-85% accuracy.
- 95 Percentile: 14-17 questions with 65-75% accuracy.
- 90 Percentile: 10-12 questions with 55-65% accuracy.
Also Read: CAT VARC Paper Analysis
First 10 Minutes of VARC : RC Passage Selection Insights
Passage selection in VARC is crucial. Previous years’ data shows 94% of 99+ percentilers focused on readability instead of question sequence. This approach helped them save around 7-10 minutes just by avoiding difficult RCs in the beginning of the exam.
- History and sociology passages: This accounts for 60% of RCs in recent years. It often provides higher readability due to familiar vocabulary, straightforward question types.
- Avoid starting with abstract philosophy: The dense language can cause about 20% low accuracy when attempted early.
- Insights from Quora and Reddit users: Experienced candidates suggest to scan first and last paragraphs to quickly catch tone, complexity and structure. Ideal passage length to begin with is 450-550 words.
Source: Quora
Also Read: CAT VARC Important Topics and Weightage
Tips for VARC in CAT 2025: Do’s and Dont’s for the first 10 minutes of VARC
Building and maintaining momentum throughout the VARC section is crucial for achieving accuracy and overall score improvement. A smart start can set you pace and increase your confidence throughout the exam. The important do’s and dont’s for attempting VARC section is summarised in the table below:
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| Stay mentally warmed up by reading short articles before the exam and during system instructions to maintain reading momentum. | Don’t sit idle before the exam begins. You may lose your reading flow. |
| Start with the VA question types you are most confident and fastest at (para jumbles, odd-one-out, summaries, etc.). | Don’t begin with tougher VA types like critical reasoning or complex summaries. |
| Start by attempting the passage that aligns best with your comfort and familiarity. | Don’t start with dense, abstract, or concept-heavy passages. |
| Read the passage at your natural, comfortable pace without forcing speed. | Don’t rush through the passage or skip lines just to read quicker. |
| Always read the passage fully before attempting the questions. | Don’t glance at the questions while reading the passage, it disrupts comprehension. |
| Decide the order of all passages within the first 10 minutes. | Don’t keep changing the sequence later as it breaks concentration and rhythm. |
Also Read: CAT 2025 College Predictor
CAT 2024 VARC Question Paper PDF
| CAT 2024 Exam Slot | VARC Question Paper PDF | Solution PDF |
| CAT 2024 VARC Question Paper with Answer key (Slot 1) | Download PDF | Check Solution |
| CAT 2024 VARC Question Paper with Answer key (Slot 2) | Download PDF | Check Solution |
| CAT 2024 VARC Question Paper with Answer key (Slot 3) | Download PDF | Check Solution |
Ques: What if all the passages look equally difficult in the first scan?
Ans: In such cases, candidates should pick the shortest one first, usually 450-550 words and the one with maximum direct questions. This strategy can increase the chances of higher accuracy.
Ques: What should be my strategy to hit 95%+ in the VARC section of CAT 2025?
Ans: A 95%+ score in CAT VARC section usually requires 45-55 marks. In a Reddit post, one experienced user advised that candidates must maintain 85% accuracy in their strongest VA types, which contribute nearly 40% of total sectional marks for top scores.
Thus, the overall target is to attempt 4-7 high accuracy questions in the first 10 minutes. After this, shift to longer RCs for about 10-12 minutes each and finish the remaining VA in the last 10-15 minutes. This strategy can significantly boost your chances for achieving high scores in the VARC section of CAT 2025.
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*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.