The Common Admission Test ( CAT 2025 ) is scheduled for November 30, 2025 . This exam helps students get into top management programs in India. A major part of the CAT exam is the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section. In this section, Reading Comprehension (RC) questions are very important. RC questions make up about 16 out of 24 questions in VARC. Knowing which topics appear most often in RC can help students prepare better and score higher.
Understanding the CAT 2025 VARC Section
The CAT 2025 exam pattern is expected to stay the same as previous years. The VARC section has a time limit of 40 minutes for most candidates. This section usually includes four Reading Comprehension passages . Each passage is followed by three to five questions . These passages are generally between 350 and 600 words long . Questions test how well a student can understand, analyze, make sense of, and judge the text.
Most Asked Topics in Reading Comprehension
Students preparing for CAT 2025 should focus on certain topics that appear often in the Reading Comprehension section. The table below shows the topics that have been asked most frequently in past exams. This data covers 90 RC passages:
| Topic Name | Count | Percentage |
| Science and Technology | 21 | 23.33% |
| Philosophy | 14 | 15.56% |
| Business and Economics | 11 | 12.22% |
| History | 11 | 12.22% |
| Art and Culture | 10 | 11.11% |
| Culture and Society | 10 | 11.11% |
| Environment | 9 | 10.00% |
| Psychology | 4 | 4.44% |
Focus Areas for CAT RC Preparation
As the table shows, Science and Technology passages are the most common. These passages can talk about new discoveries, scientific theories, or the impact of technology on society. Students should read articles and essays on these subjects regularly to get comfortable with the vocabulary and ideas. Philosophy passages often explore deep thoughts about life, ethics, or human nature. These passages require careful reading to understand complex arguments.
Business and Economics topics cover things like market trends, company strategies, or economic theories. Reading business news helps with this. History passages might discuss past events, historical figures, or social changes. Art and Culture along with Culture and Society topics often deal with different forms of art, traditions, societal norms, and human behavior. Environment passages can discuss climate change, conservation, or environmental policies.
By practicing passages from these common topics, students can improve their reading speed and comprehension for a wide range of subjects. This helps them understand different writing styles and complex ideas quickly during the exam.
Tips to Score Well in Reading Comprehension
Doing well in the RC section requires smart strategies. Here are some simple tips:
- Read Fully: Do not just skim the passage. Read it carefully to understand all main points and details. Skimming can make you miss important information.
- Understand First: Always read the passage completely before looking at the questions. Reading questions first can make you think about certain parts too much and miss the overall meaning.
- Use Only Passage Information: Answer questions based only on what is written in the passage. Do not use your own knowledge or outside information.
- Aim for Accuracy: It is better to answer fewer questions correctly than to attempt many questions and get them wrong. Remember, there is negative marking for incorrect answers in CAT.
- Spot Passage Structure: Pay attention to how the passage is organized. This means looking for the main idea, supporting points, and how ideas connect. This helps in answering questions about the passage's structure or main idea.
Regular practice with different types of RC passages, especially from the frequently asked topics, will greatly improve a student's performance in the CAT 2025 VARC section. Focusing on accuracy and understanding the core ideas are keys to success.
