CAT 2022 VARC Analysis: Slot 2 Breakdown & Strategy
📋 Table of Contents
🔍 Introduction
The CAT 2022 VARC Slot 2 section struck a balance between familiar structures and subtle surprises. With the reintroduction of para-completion and a set of RCs of medium difficulty, aspirants needed a calm and selective approach. This review provides a strategic breakdown of question types, passage difficulty, and score-maximizing techniques.
📊 CAT 2022 VARC Slot 2 Structure
| Section | Questions | MCQ | TITA | Ideal Attempts |
|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 16 (4+4+4+4) | 16 | 0 | 12–14 |
| Para-jumbles | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2–3 |
| Summary | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Para-completion | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1–2 |
| Total | 24 | 21 | 3 | 16–18 |
- Time: 40 minutes
- Section difficulty: Moderate overall
- RCs leaned more factual and narrative, making them more approachable than Slot 1
📘 Reading Comprehension Overview
RC Topics and Difficulty
| Topic | Word Count | Difficulty | Comments |
|---|
| Cephalopods' Camouflage | ~550 | Easy | Direct and factual |
| Musicking and Modern Humanity | ~550 | Medium | Thematic, required interpretation |
| Institutions | ~600 | Difficult | Abstract and structural |
| Technical Social Dualism | ~550 | Medium | Philosophical with real-world linkage |
Insights
- 2 passages were highly scorable: Cephalopods and Technical Dualism
- Institutions RC was more abstract and best attempted later
- Focus on identifying core idea quickly and eliminating inference traps
🧠 Verbal Ability Breakdown and New Question Format
Para-jumbles (3 TITA Questions)
- 2 easy, 1 moderate
- Required awareness of transition cues and logical connectors
- Ideal approach: Identify mandatory pairs, introductory sentences
Summary Questions (3 MCQs)
- All were moderate
- Close options with subtle tone differences
- Eliminate options that are too broad, too narrow, or misrepresent the core argument
Para-completion (2 MCQs)
- New Format for 2022
- One question was straightforward, the other required nuanced fit
- Required selecting which of four blanks a given sentence logically fit into
⏱️ Ideal Attempt Strategy
| Target Percentile | Ideal Attempts | Accuracy Target | Score Estimate |
|---|
| 99%ile | 16–18 | 85–90% | 40–42 marks |
| 95%ile | 14–15 | 80–85% | 34–36 marks |
| 85%ile | 12–13 | 75–80% | 28–30 marks |
Time Allocation
- RCs: 24–26 minutes
- VA: 14–16 minutes
- Attempt TITA questions first or last, depending on confidence level
📌 How to Solve Para-Completion Questions
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Read the key sentence carefully
- Understand tone, subject, connectors (e.g., "However," "Therefore")
- Skim the paragraph structure
- Look for transitions or sentences that may lead into or follow the key sentence
- Test each blank
- Mentally insert the sentence and see if it fits grammatically and logically
- Eliminate illogical or redundant placements
- The sentence must connect meaningfully without disrupting flow
- Use grammar clues
- Verb tense, pronoun reference, or article usage often indicate fit
❓ FAQs
- Was Slot 2 easier than Slot 1 in CAT 2022 VARC? Yes. Slot 2 had more narrative and direct RCs (like Cephalopods) compared to the abstract passages of Slot 1.
- What is para-completion and how is it different from para-jumbles? Para-completion gives you a key sentence and a paragraph with numbered blanks. You must identify where the sentence fits best. Para-jumbles ask you to rearrange sentence order.
- How many TITA questions were there? There were 3 TITA questions, all from para-jumbles.
✅ Conclusion
The CAT 2022 VARC Slot 2 section rewarded strategic skimming, logical thinking, and familiarity with question structures. With two approachable RCs and a manageable VA section, it offered a fair chance at high percentile scores for those who optimized their time and avoided tricky distractors. Build familiarity with para-completion and sharpen elimination strategies for summaries to elevate your future performance.
