CAT 2020 VARC Analysis: Slot 3 Breakdown and Strategy

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📋 Table of Contents

• Overview of CAT 2020 VARC Slot 3
• Reading Comprehension (RC): Topic Types & Tactics
• Verbal Ability: Question Types & Difficulty
• Ideal Attempt Strategy for High Percentile
• Preparation Techniques for Future CAT VARC Sections
• FAQs on CAT VARC
• Conclusion: How to Use This Analysis for Future CATs

📊 Overview of CAT 2020 VARC Slot 3

The VARC section in CAT 2020 Slot 3 followed the trend of moderate difficulty, continuing the pattern set by earlier slots. The section comprised 26 questions to be solved in 40 minutes. The paper tested critical reasoning skills more than language ability.

• Total Questions: 26
• Non-MCQs (TITA): 5 (all from Verbal Ability)
• Passage Length: ~450-500 words
• Overall Level: Moderate with close options

📚 Reading Comprehension (RC): Topic Types & Tactics

📖 RC Question Overview

• Total Questions: 18
• Passages: 4 (5+5+4+4 questions)
• Length: ~500 words each
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Ideal Attempt: 3 passages

📌 Sample RC Topics (Possible based on trend)

• Philosophy (e.g., Nietzsche’s view on morality)
• Science & Technology (e.g., AI ethics or neural networks)
• History (e.g., ancient civilizations or trade routes)
• Sociology (e.g., gender roles in literature)

Strategy Tips:

• Read questions first to scan with intent
• Focus on tone, purpose, and structure
• Eliminate options logically using critical reasoning

🧠 Verbal Ability: Question Types & Difficulty

💡 Tips to Tackle VA

• For Parajumbles, identify mandatory pairs and opening/closing sentences
• Summary questions require identifying the core message, not just repeated ideas
• Odd-sentence-out is best handled by finding the disconnected idea in tone or subject

🎯 Ideal Attempt Strategy for High Percentile

• Target Attempts: 18–20
• Accuracy: 75%
• Score Benchmark: 40–42 marks

Non-MCQs (TITA) questions should be attempted fully since there’s no negative marking. Focus on logical sequencing and summary extraction rather than guesswork.

🛠️ Preparation Techniques for Future CAT VARC Sections

• Daily RC Practice

  • Use sources like Aeon, The Guardian, and Harvard Business Review
  • Practice both factual and inference-based questions

• Parajumbles Drills

  • Rearranging editorials can be great practice
  • Use online tools to get instant feedback

• Summarization Exercises

  • Summarize TED Talk transcripts or research papers in 2-3 lines

• Mock Test Analysis

  • Focus on time spent per question
  • Evaluate why options were eliminated or chosen

❓ FAQs on CAT VARC

1. How important is VARC in CAT percentile calculation?
   VARC carries one-third of the total weight. A strong VARC score significantly boosts your overall percentile.
2. What is a good number of attempts for VARC?
   18-20 with high accuracy is ideal for 99%ile. For mid-90s, 15-17 attempts may suffice.
3. Are TITA questions easier than MCQs?
   TITA questions may appear difficult, but the absence of negative marking makes them strategic scoring opportunities.

🔚 Conclusion: How to Use This Analysis for Future CATs

The CAT 2020 VARC Slot 3 analysis helps uncover patterns in difficulty level, question structure, and scoring strategy. By using this breakdown to guide your preparation, you can develop targeted approaches for different question types, improve reading skills, and benchmark realistic performance goals.

Start practicing now with RCs from diverse domains, hone your logical sequencing, and use mock tests to sharpen accuracy and timing.