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VARC 3% exam weight

Vocabulary

Part of the CAT study roadmap. VARC topic vc-007 of VARC.

Vocabulary

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.

Vocabulary — Quick Facts Core concept: Vocabulary is a key topic in this subject area High-yield points: Key definitions, formulas, and facts for last-minute revision ⚡ Exam tip: Focus on understanding over memorisation — application is everything


🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Standard content for students with a few days to months.

Vocabulary — Study Guide Overview: Vocabulary is part of the core syllabus Key concepts: Build a clear understanding of fundamentals Standard questions: Typical patterns seen in competitive exams


🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Comprehensive coverage for students on a longer study timeline.

Vocabulary — Comprehensive Notes Full coverage: Vocabulary with detailed explanation Extended theory: Deeper understanding for thorough preparation Practice: Solve previous year questions and standard textbook exercises



📊 CAT Exam Essentials

DetailValue
SectionsVARC (24 Qs), DILR (20 Qs), QA (22 Qs)
Time2 hours (40 min per section)
Total66 questions, 198 marks
Marking+3 correct, −1 wrong (MCQ); no penalty for TITA
ModeComputer-based, multiple sessions
PercentileNormalized — 99+ needed for top IIMs

🎯 High-Yield Topics for CAT

  • Reading Comprehension — 16-20 marks in VARC
  • Para Summary + Odd Sentence — 8-12 marks
  • DI Sets (Tables + Caselets) — 10-15 marks in DILR
  • Arithmetic (Percentages + Profit/Loss) — 8-12 marks in QA
  • Geometry + Mensuration — 6-10 marks
  • Logarithm + Sequences — 6-10 marks

📝 Previous Year Question Patterns

  • Q: “The passage is primarily concerned with…” [2024 VARC — RC passage]
  • Q: “If f(x) = x² - 5x + 6, the value of f(3) is…” [2024 QA — Arithmetic]
  • Q: “How many ways can 5 people be arranged around a round table…” [2024 DILR — Circular]

💡 Pro Tips

  • VARC is the top priority — strong RC skills can push you to 99+ percentile quickly
  • DILR: attempt 2 full sets out of 4-5 sets — accuracy matters more than coverage
  • QA: arithmetic (time-speed-work) + geometry carry ~40% of QA marks
  • Take 3-4 full mocks before the exam to find your section-wise pacing

🔗 Official Resources


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📐 Diagram Reference

Educational diagram illustrating Vocabulary with clear labels, white background, exam-style illustration

Diagrams are generated per-topic using AI. Support for AI-generated educational diagrams coming soon.