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How Many RCs to Attempt in CAT for 99 Percentile?
Reading Comprehension forms the largest part of CAT VARC, with 16 RC questions across four passages in recent CAT papers. This makes RC the most important area to master if you are targeting a 99 percentile in VARC.
RC Strategy | Target |
Total RC passages | 4 |
RC questions | 16 |
RCs to target | 3-4 |
Questions from selected RCs | 12-14+ |
Main focus | Accuracy + selection |
CAT VARC Percentile Benchmark
VARC Percentile | VARC Score |
99.9 | 53 |
99.5 | 48 |
99 | 44 |
95 | 32.5 |
90 | 26 |
85 | 22 |
80 | 19 |
These scores are based on CAT 2025 result data and are useful benchmarks for CAT 2026 preparation. The actual score required for a particular percentile can vary depending on the difficulty of the paper and normalization.
If you are comfortable with the passages, attempting all four RCs can be possible. But if one passage is extremely difficult or time-consuming, leaving it and using that time on the other three can be the smarter decision.
Also Read: CAT Score vs Percentile 2026, 2025, 2024 Detailed Analysis
How Many RC Questions Should You Get Correct for 99 Percentile?
There is no fixed number of correct RC questions that guarantees a 99 percentile because your final VARC percentile also depends on your VA performance and the difficulty of the paper.
However, if RC is your primary scoring area, 12-14 correct RC questions is a strong target. With 12 correct answers, you already have 36 marks from RC before considering incorrect MCQs. Along with verbal you can increase your score for 99 percentile.
For context, the CAT 2025 VARC score corresponding to the 99 percentile was around 44 marks. This does not mean you need 15 correct RC questions, because VA also contributes to your VARC score.
The better target is to build enough accuracy in RC that 12-14 correct RC answers become consistently achievable, while using VA to add further marks.
Also Read: How Many Questions to Attempt for 99 Percentile in CAT 2026?
CAT VARC Attempts vs Accuracy for 99 Percentile
In VARC, increasing attempts without controlling accuracy can quickly become counterproductive because incorrect MCQs carry negative marking. The marking scheme gives +3 for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect MCQ, while TITA questions do not have negative marking.
For a 99 percentile target, aim for approximately 20–22 VARC attempts with strong accuracy rather than trying to attempt all 24 questions blindly.
Attempts | 70% Accuracy | 80% Accuracy | 90% Accuracy | 100% Accuracy |
16 | 28 | 36 | 40 | 48 |
18 | 30 | 38 | 46 | 54 |
20 | 36 | 44 | 52 | 60 |
22 | 38 | 46 | 58 | 66 |
24 | 44 | 52 | 60 | 72 |
*Approximate planning values; actual marks depend on the integer number of correct/incorrect answers and the MCQ/ TITA composition.
The key point is that 20 attempts at 90% accuracy are far more valuable than 24 attempts with several careless errors. Your mock analysis should therefore track both attempts and accuracy, not attempts alone.
Also Read: CAT VARC PYQ Analysis 2026, Difficulty, Repeated Topics
Should You Attempt All RCs in CAT VARC?
You do not have to attempt all four RCs to perform well in VARC.
CAT gives you four passages, but they are not necessarily equally comfortable. One passage may have a familiar subject and straightforward questions, while another may be abstract, dense or difficult to interpret. A better approach is to evaluate each passage before committing your time.
Situation | What to Do |
Easy/moderate passage with clear argument | Attempt |
Familiar subject but difficult questions | Evaluate questions carefully |
Dense but manageable passage | Attempt selectively |
Extremely abstract passage | Consider leaving it |
Passage taking too long | Move to another RC |
If you can comfortably solve all four, there is nothing wrong with attempting all four. But attempting all RCs should be the result of good selection and time management, not a compulsory target.
The recent VARC pattern continues to give RC the dominant share of the section, so the goal should be to extract maximum marks from the passages you choose rather than simply increase the number of passages touched.
How to Select the Right RCs During CAT?
RC selection should happen quickly. Do not spend five or six minutes reading one passage before deciding whether you want to attempt it.
During the initial scan, look at the topic, passage structure, density and question types. You are not trying to completely understand the passage at this stage; you are trying to decide where your time is most likely to produce marks.
Prefer | Be Careful With |
Clear argument | Extremely abstract arguments |
Logical paragraph flow | Very dense passages |
Manageable language | Complicated wording throughout |
Clear central idea | Difficult-to-identify main argument |
Questions with identifiable evidence | Multiple highly inferential questions |
Familiar reasoning structure | Options that appear extremely close |
Do not reject a passage simply because you do not know the topic. CAT can give you passages from philosophy, psychology, sociology, science, history, economics, literature and other areas. The subject itself is not a reliable indicator of difficulty.
Instead, judge whether you can understand the author's argument and the relationship between the ideas.
With enough RC practice, you will start recognising which passages suit your reading style and which ones are likely to consume too much time.
Also Read: CAT VARC Marathon Questions 2026 PDF & Solutions
CAT RC Attempt Strategy for 99 Percentile
A 40-minute VARC section should be planned around RC selection first and VA second. Since RC contributes 16 of the 24 questions in recent CAT papers, you should give it the majority of your VARC time.
A practical 40-minute approach can look like this:
Time | Strategy |
0–3 minutes | Scan all four RCs |
3–5 minutes | Decide RC priority |
5–13 minutes | Read and solve RC 1 |
13–21 minutes | Read and solve RC 2 |
21–29 minutes | Read and solve RC 3 |
29–33 minutes | Attempt selected questions from RC 4 (if difficult to attempt) |
33–40 minutes | Complete VA / revisit marked questions |
These timings are flexible. If you are reading quickly and accurately, you may finish three RCs earlier and move to the fourth. If one passage is taking too long, leave it and protect your remaining time.
A good rule is to avoid spending disproportionate time on one difficult question. Recent CAT VARC papers have increasingly featured closely worded options and inference-heavy questions, making elimination and careful interpretation particularly important.
For a 99 percentile target, don't measure your RC preparation only by how many passages you can finish. Measure it by how many questions you can get correct within the available time.
Also Read: How to Attempt a VARC Sectional Test Effectively, Check Now
RCs to Attempt in CAT for 99 Percentile: Conclusion
For aspirants wondering how many RCs to attempt in CAT for 99 percentile, a practical target is 3–4 RC passages with approximately 12–14+ well-selected RC questions. However, the number of passages attempted should never become a rigid target. Passage difficulty, reading speed, accuracy and your performance in Verbal Ability will ultimately determine the right strategy.
The most effective CAT RC strategy is therefore built around selection, accuracy and time management rather than maximum attempts. Use CAT mocks and CAT previous papers to identify the types of passages you handle best, track your accuracy and develop a reliable passage-selection process. On exam day, prioritise the RCs that offer the best opportunity to convert your limited 40 minutes into marks.
