CAT 2026 reading comprehension questions: types, difficulty, and preparation

In short

Reading Comprehension (RC) questions account for 3/4th of the sectional weightage in the VARC section of the CAT exam.
Out of 24 VARC questions, 12-14 are based on RC passages, which are usually 500-600 words long and of high difficulty.
CAT RC passages are primarily analytical, descriptive, and data-driven, rarely fact-based, and often inference-based.
Common RC question types include main idea, inference, author’s tone, assumption, conclusion, strengthen/weaken, and application-based questions.
Preparation for CAT RC requires a long-term plan, consistent action, and practicing sample papers and sectional mock tests for at least two months.

The Reading Comprehension (RC) section in the CAT 2026 exam is expected to maintain its role as a critical component of the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section. RC questions typically make up 3/4th of the sectional weightage, with 12-14 questions out of 24 VARC questions derived from RC passages.

These passages are generally 500 to 600 words long and are known for their high difficulty, making the CAT RC section one of the most challenging among MBA entrance exams. The focus of CAT conducting authorities has increasingly been on assessing students’ comprehension skills, as indicated by a rise in the number of RC passages since CAT 2019.

Types of Reading Comprehension Passages and Questions

CAT RC passages are predominantly complicated and inference-based, with a rare occurrence of purely fact-based passages. There are mainly three types of Reading Comprehension passages encountered in the CAT exam: Analytical, Descriptive, and Data Driven. These passages cover a diverse range of topics, including business and economics, science, humanities, social sciences, and current affairs.

The questions associated with these passages are designed to assess comprehension of the author’s argument, inference, the distinction between fact and opinion, and the author’s point of view. Common RC question types include main idea, inference, author’s tone, assumption, conclusion, strengthen/weaken, and application-based questions. Inference questions, along with strengthen and weaken questions, constitute almost 50 percent of the questions in CAT Reading Comprehension.

Common RC Question Types and Approach
Question Type	How to Approach	Common Traps
Main Idea / Primary Purpose	Identify the central message that connects all paragraphs. Focus on what the author is trying to achieve overall.	Options focusing on a single paragraph, example, or supporting detail instead of the entire passage.
Inference-Based	Choose an option that logically follows from the passage, even if not directly stated.	Extreme conclusions, assumptions beyond the passage, or options requiring outside knowledge.
Author’s Tone	Pay attention to adjectives, examples, and criticism used by the author.	Confusing “critical” with “negative” or selecting emotionally extreme words.
Author’s Viewpoint	Identify the position the author ultimately supports or opposes.	Mistaking a quoted opinion or opposing viewpoint for the author’s own stance.
Assumption	Find the unstated idea that must be true for the author’s argument to hold.	Choosing conclusions instead of underlying assumptions.
Strengthen the Argument	Select the option that provides additional support for the author’s claim.	Choosing options that are merely related but do not improve the argument.
Weaken the Argument	Look for evidence that challenges the logic, assumption, or conclusion.	Picking information that sounds contradictory but does not affect the core argument.
Specific Detail	Return to the relevant section of the passage and verify the exact information.	Answering from memory and falli

Recent Trends in CAT Rc Structure

The structure of the VARC section and the RC pattern have shown some consistency in recent years. In CAT 2025, every RC passage featured 4-5 questions. Prior to that, in CAT 2024 and CAT 2023, every session included four RC passages, each with 3-4 questions. The overall VARC section typically comprises around 24 questions, to be attempted within a 40-minute time limit.

While RC weightage is usually around 4 passages with approximately 16 questions, the remaining 8 questions in the VARC section are typically Verbal Ability questions, covering topics such as Para Summary, Para Insertion, and Odd-One-Out. The difficulty level of CAT RC passages and questions has generally increased since CAT 2019.

Latest CAT VARC Structure and RC Pattern
VARC Component	Typical CAT Pattern
Total VARC Questions	Around 24 questions
Sectional Time Limit	40 minutes
RC Weightage	Usually 4 passages with around 16 questions
Verbal Ability Questions	Around 8 questions from topics like Para Summary, Para Insertion and Odd-One-Out

Preparation Strategies for CAT Rc

Mastering Reading Comprehension for CAT requires strong English reading skills, including the ability to read long passages in less than a minute and solve at least four questions per passage. Given the complex and inference-based nature of the passages, a long-term preparation plan and consistent action are essential, ideally commencing as early as March for the CAT exam.

It is critical for aspirants to practice sample papers and sectional CAT mock tests specifically for the VARC section for at least two months. Candidates are not expected to be experts on the subjects of the passages but rather to demonstrate their ability to deal with unfamiliar information and answer questions purely based on the provided text.

CAT Passage Types and Smart Reading Approach
CAT Passage Types	What They Usually Test	Smart Reading Approach
Philosophy	Abstract reasoning, arguments	Read slowly and identify the central idea
Science & Technology	Concepts and explanations	Focus on cause-effect relationships
Economics & Business	Data, policies, opinions	Separate facts from interpretations
History & Culture	Events and viewpoints	Follow the sequence of ideas carefully
Psychology & Sociology	Behaviour and analysis	Track examples supporting the main argument
Literature & Arts	Tone and interpretation	Understand the author’s perspective