Why RC Passages Decide CAT 2026 Percentiles?

Reading Comprehension (RC) typically contributes around 65–70% of the VARC section in CAT. In recent CAT exams, RC has accounted for approximately 16 out of 24 questions, making it the most influential component for achieving a high VARC percentile. CAT Reading Comprehension is also the first section of the CAT exam, so a strong start in this section boosts your confidence and speed for the rest of the test. 

If you are preparing for CAT 2026, you must have heard that "RC decides your percentile". This may seem an odd question to ask, but is CAT really not about Maths and Logic? However, once you realize that VARC is really Reading Comprehension, it makes a ton of sense. Let's look at it this way.

What is CAT VARC and Where Does RC Fit?

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension is called CAT VARC. It is one of the three main sections of the CAT exam, the other two being DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. 

The VARC section consists of 24 questions to be answered in 40 minutes, out of which 12 are Reading Comprehension and 12 are Verbal Ability. This section contains Reading Comprehension as its largest and strongest component.

RC Weightage in VARC – The Real Numbers

Now the true reason for "why RC decides percentiles" becomes apparent. Reading Comprehension is one of the three sections in VARC, and it is nearly 66% (rounding up to the nearest ten) of the total questions. 

Reading Comprehension accounts for nearly 66% of the VARC section and thus has the highest weightage in the VARC section. That is, topics from Verbal Ability such as para-jumble and para-summary get one-third of the marks.

To complete the section, 4 passages with 16 questions, 3 Para Summary, 3 Para Jumble and 2 Missing Sentence questions were asked in CAT 2024.

Why RC Has More Power Over Your Percentile?

Your RC accuracy has a direct impact on your VARC percentile as RC makes up ⅔ of VARC and VARC plays a major role in your overall CAT score. The VARC section accounts for approximately one-third of the total CAT score and therefore is important for a high overall percentile. 

There is another reason why RC is so important — it's the first thing on the exam day. VARC is the first section that every candidate has to attempt on the exam day and is one of the most underrated sections by the engineering graduates. If you get the RC passages mixed up at the beginning, you may lose your confidence and speed for the rest of the test. 

A good performance in VARC gives a good start to the paper and boosts confidence and this is also a vital component in most IIMs while calculating composite scores for admission, and is given high weightage.

What Do CAT Toppers Say About Reading Comprehension?

Most 99+ percentile CAT candidates emphasize that Reading Comprehension is the single most important area within VARC. Since RC contributes the majority of questions in the section, improving reading speed, comprehension accuracy, and inference skills often results in the fastest percentile gains.

Why Does Reading Comprehension Decide CAT Percentile?

Reading Comprehension plays a major role in CAT percentile because it contributes nearly two-thirds of the VARC section. Since VARC accounts for roughly one-third of the overall CAT score, strong RC accuracy can significantly improve both sectional and overall percentiles. Regular practice with diverse passages, mock tests, and error analysis helps candidates maximize RC scores.

CAT RC Passage Sources and Types

Understanding the typical sources of CAT RC passages can assist in practicing the right type of passages. RC passages were picked from sources such as The Economist, The Washington Post, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and The Wire Science in accordance with the CAT 2023 VARC analysis. 

This will tell us that CAT RC passages are typically:

• Based on serious, opinion or research style writing 

• From magazines, philosophy and science journals 

• Designed to assess comprehension, not memorization of words.

CAT RC Strategy – How to Read Smart, Not Just Fast

The key to a good CAT RC Strategy isn't to read faster, it's to read smarter. In RC, it's important to be accurate rather than fast; try to thoroughly understand what is being read before attempting to answer the questions. 

The following are some simple strategy tips for CAT RC Strategy:

• Read the first and last lines of each paragraph first to get the passage's flow. 

• Avoid being bogged down by unfamiliar words — rather, comprehend the general sense. 

• Try out simpler passages first to gain confidence before harder passages. 

• Before attempting more questions, try to get 80-90% correct – quality attempts are more important than quantity.

Read More: Can Final-Year Students Apply for CAT 2026? Explained

Common Mistakes That Hurt CAT Percentile in RC

A lot of students lose points from the percentile position not because they can't read, but due to minor strategic errors.

Weekly CAT VARC Preparation Plan

The weightage of RC is more than VARC so it is advisable to dedicate 60-70% of your VARC preparation time to RC.

With regular Mock Tests, Error Analysis and proper time management, accuracy and sectional percentile in CAT VARC can be improved significantly.

Best Resources for CAT English Preparation

It is more important to read every day than any one book for strong CAT English Preparation. Consistent reading of newspapers, opinion columns and science articles develops the same reading stamina required for CAT RC passages. 

In addition to daily reading, many CAT aspirants rely on CAT preparation books such as Oswaal Books' CAT VARC preparation books that group Reading Comprehension passages and Verbal Ability questions in exam-like formats. This type of specific, genre-specific practice will make you feel at ease with the passages that CAT typically selects from magazines and research journals.

Summary

The Reading Comprehension section of RC passages determines CAT 2026 percentiles as Reading Comprehension accounts for almost two-thirds of the VARC section, and VARC accounts for around one-third of the total CAT score. CAT Reading Comprehension is also the first section on the exam day, so a strong performance in this section will carry over to the rest of the paper and boost marks and confidence. One of the most powerful tools for real CAT Percentile Improvement is a smart CAT RC Strategy that involves reading widely, prioritising accuracy over speed, practising regularly and utilising structured resources such as Oswaal Books.

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