NinetynineCAT reading comprehension passage topics
Most CAT RC passages are about society, history & politics or science & technology: together 70% of the 456 RC questions from 2017 to 2025. Humanities & Philosophy, Economics & Business, Arts & Culture make up the rest. CAT sets 4 passages per slot.
Key facts
- CAT used 108 reading comprehension passages in 24 papers from 2017 to 2025, with 456 questions.
- Society, History & Politics is the most common CAT RC subject, with 179 questions (39% of RC).
- RC is 71% of all CAT VARC questions since 2017.
What subjects do CAT RC passages cover?
| Subject | Questions | Share of RC | Papers |
|---|---|---|---|
| RC · Society, History & Politics | 179 | 39% | 20 of 24 |
| RC · Science & Technology | 138 | 30% | 18 of 24 |
| RC · Humanities & Philosophy | 54 | 12% | 9 of 24 |
| RC · Economics & Business | 44 | 10% | 8 of 24 |
| RC · Arts & Culture | 41 | 9% | 9 of 24 |
How many passages of each subject came each year?
| Year | Society, History & Politics | Science & Technology | Humanities & Philosophy | Economics & Business | Arts & Culture | Passages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| 2018 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 2019 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2020 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2022 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 2024 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| 2025 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
Which question types does CAT ask on RC passages?
Across subjects, the same question types repeat: the central idea, what the author would agree with, what can be inferred, why an example is used, and which claim the passage does not support. The concepts page groups RC questions by these types, with every example since 2017.
How should I prepare for CAT RC?
Read outside your comfort zone, weighted the way CAT is: mostly society, history & politics and science & technology, with regular philosophy, economics and arts pieces. Then practise real passages under time and review each wrong answer against the passage line that settles it. A VARC plan built on PYQs.
Method: counted from all 24 CAT papers 2017–2025 (1,830 questions), each tagged with one topic. Each RC question is tagged with its passage's subject; a passage is counted once per subject. How the data is built.
Frequently asked questions
How many RC passages are there in CAT?
4 per slot in CAT 2025, with 16 questions in all.
What is the most common RC topic in CAT?
Society, History & Politics: 179 of 456 RC questions since 2017.