CAT 2016: VARC with 70% weightage on RC questions only; expert tips to prepare

CAT 2016 with proposed structural and content level changes may bring more surprises by increasing further the weightage of Reading Comprehension part in VARC section. Past trends in last few CAT exams further strengthen this fact. With the increasing weightage on RC based questions, it may not be possible for CAT 2016 aspirant to score a good percentile if due attention to RC part is not given.

Increasing weightage on RC Prof S K Agarwal, expert on Verbal Ability and mentor on CAT 2016 shares the facts and figures in past CAT exams emphasising how important it is to pay attention on RC whose weightage may further increase in forthcoming CAT 2016.

5 years of CAT: RC weightage gone up from 45% to 70% After getting computerised, CAT till 2013 had around 3-4 RC passages followed by 10 to 11 questions out of total 30 questions in the section. Rest of questions were divided into Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning parts which used to be the integral part of this section.

The section included 8 to 10 MCQs on the Verbal Ability topics like error correction in sentences and paragraphs, vocabulary usage, jumbled paragraphs, out of context sentence, last sentence in the para and other topics. 8 to 10 questions were based on Logical Reasoning out of 30 questions.

Reading Comprehension (RC) claimed around 30 to 35% share of total questions and 45% or above share in total VARC questions.

However, in 2014 the number of questions in CAT increased from 60 to 100 and accordingly number of questions on each VARC topic also increased. But, CAT also surprised the test takers by dropping a few of its favourite topics in Verbal Ability part and increased the number of RC based questions. Not only this, certain common RC based questions were not seen anywhere and new type of critical reasoning/logical reasoning type of questions followed the RC passages.

There were no questions based on vocabulary usage, last sentence of para and new type of questions on FIJ, para summary were introduced.

Number of RC passages also increased in CAT. Out of 50 questions in Verbal Ability section, 16 questions were based on 4 RC passages; 18 questions were on Verbal Ability area and 16 were on Logical Reasoning.

RC awarded 70% weightage In one single year CAT increased the weightage of RC based questions from 45% to 70% and introduced new type of questions. CAT in the year 2015 created history by getting totally revamped on innovative pattern. Number of sections were increased from 2 to 3, LR was de-clubbed from Verbal Ability section and a new section clubbing DI & LR was formed. Along with MCQs, the Non-MCQs with any penalty marking were also introduced.

Out of total 34 questions comprising 10 Non-MCQs and 24 MCQs, VARC had 24 questions based only on Reading Comprehension passages. There were 5 RC passages out of which 3 were followed by 6 questions each and 2 were followed by 3 questions each.

What to expect in CAT 2016? According to Prof S K Agarwal, expert on verbal ability and mentor on CAT 2016 preparation, there is no proposal to reduce the weightage of RC based questions, as taking decision on various reports and articles, essays, research, presentation papers are the need in IIMs, it is very much possible that weightage on RC based questions may further rise in CAT 2016.

It is therefore, suggested that CAT 2016 aspirants should remain focused on the RC part of Verbal Ability area to score high and get their dream IIM.

How to improve skills in RC

-- Make it the regular practice to read the editorials, articles in the news paper.

-- Underline the difficult words-search out their meanings and put them to use in writing, in conversation etc. Tests have shown that the number of unfamiliar words in a passage, if exceeds about one in twenty, the reader will lose track. If the proportion is lower, the reader may skip over the unfamiliar words and grasp, at least the general meaning.

-- When you write, try to frame good sentences using the new words. This will give you ample opportunity to rectify the errors in sentences, improving the vocabulary, improving the speed and accuracy of reading and the skill to pick out the wrong sentences as well as how to complete the sentence or paragraph

-- Read the passage/article twice once fairly quickly to get the general idea and then read again a little slowly so as to understand the details.

-- Go for versatile reading on different topics since you may or may not get the passages of your interest in the examination.

-- Please remember, Reading comprehension exercise is a passage upon which questions are set to test the students ability to understand the content of the given text and to infer information and meanings from it.