CAT 2017 VARC Analysis: Slot 2 Breakdown & Strategy

📋 Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Overview of CAT 2017 VARC Slot 2
• Reading Comprehension Breakdown
• Verbal Ability Section Analysis
• RC Passage-Level Insights
• Surprises and Pattern Changes
• Time Management and Strategic Attempts
• FAQs
• Conclusion

🔍 Introduction

Preparing for CAT? Knowing past trends can give you an edge. This CAT 2017 VARC Slot 2 Analysis reveals the structure, difficulty, and strategy for tackling one of the most critical sections of the exam—Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. With unexpected shifts in question types and deceptively close answer options, Slot 2 threw a few curveballs.

📊 Overview of CAT 2017 VARC Slot 2

• Total Questions: 34
• Reading Comprehension (RC): 24 questions
• Verbal Ability (VA): 10 questions
• The section was of moderate difficulty with many idea-based and inference-heavy questions. Accuracy and time management were crucial.

📘 Reading Comprehension Breakdown

RC Structure

• 5 passages in total:
  • 3 long (~500–550 words): 6 questions each
  • 2 short (~250–350 words): 3 questions each

Passage Topics

• Economics
• Biology
• Technology Trends
• Creativity
• Typewriters (short passage)

Key Features

• ~66% of RC questions were main idea or inference-based
• No tone questions appeared
• Options were closely worded, increasing time pressure

🧠 Verbal Ability Section Analysis

Para-Jumbles (4 Questions)

• 5-sentence arrangement
• 2 easy, 1 tricky, 1 confusing
• Strategy: Find opening sentence and use clue words to form mandatory pairs
• Non-MCQ (TITA), no negative marking

Summary Questions (3 Questions)

• ~150-word paragraph
• 4 MCQ options; negative marking applicable
• One question had near-identical options
• Elimination helped in easier ones

Odd Sentence Out (3 Questions)

• 5-sentence paragraph with one thematically different sentence
• Topics included sports and abstract ideas
• Easier than other VA types due to shorter and simpler sentences

📚 RC Passage-Level Insights

🎯 Surprises and Pattern Changes

• Summary questions were MCQ despite being TITA in the sample paper
• Increased number of inference-based questions
• Tone and vocabulary questions were absent
• Answer options were deceptively similar, requiring precise reading

⏱️ Time Management and Strategic Attempts

Ideal Strategy

• Attempt 4 RCs with 80% accuracy
• Use TITA questions (no negative marking) to your advantage
• Avoid over-committing to confusing summary or para-jumble questions

For 90+ Percentile

• Good Attempt: 25–27 questions
• Target Accuracy: ~90%
• Focus on reading speed and understanding structure/themes quickly

❓ FAQs

1. How many passages were included in Slot 2 VARC? Five passages—three long and two short—making up 24 questions.
2. Were the summary questions MCQ or TITA? They were MCQ, contrary to the expectations from the sample paper.
3. Which question types should be prioritized? Start with summary questions and RCs and use TITA questions as buffer scoring opportunities.
4. Was Slot 2 harder than Slot 1? Slot 2 was trickier due to close answer options, though overall difficulty was similar.

✅ Conclusion

The CAT 2017 VARC Slot 2 paper was a test of precision and time management. While reading comprehension questions were mostly idea-based, the verbal ability section required tactical selection. With MCQ summary questions carrying negative marks and tightly worded options, accuracy was key. Use these insights to fine-tune your prep and approach future mocks with more confidence.