What key skills does the CAT VARC section test?

The CAT VARC section tests reading speed, understanding complex ideas, identifying arguments, and comprehending complex passages.

Which newspapers are recommended for improving reading comprehension for CAT 2025?

The Hindu and The Indian Express are highly recommended, along with Mint, The Economic Times, and The Guardian.

How do books help strengthen reading comprehension for CAT?

Books build patience for complex ideas, train minds for abstract reasoning, and help interpret nuanced arguments and the author's tone and purpose.

What is the recommended strategy for reading The Hindu for CAT 2025?

Read one editorial daily (45 minutes) and summarize it in your own words to enhance comprehension of dense and balanced arguments.

Which book is a classic for vocabulary building crucial for RC accuracy?

'Word Power Made Easy' by Norman Lewis is a classic for vocabulary building, enhancing word recognition and contextual understanding.

Best Newspapers and Books to Strengthen Reading Comprehension for CAT 2025

Build your reading-comprehension edge for CAT 2025. Discover the top newspapers to read daily and the essential books to sharpen your VARC-skills, boost vocabulary and master passages.

Table of Contents

Best Newspapers to Improve Reading Comprehension for CAT 2025
Best Books to Strengthen Reading Comprehension for CAT 2025
Daily Reading Practice Routine for CAT RC Preparation
Conclusion

Reading comprehension is one of the most important sections that you need to work on when you are preparing for the Common Admission Test CAT 2025. The Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) section tests your reading speed, how well you understand complex ideas, your ability to identify an argument and how well you can read a complex passage.

Going through CAT books and newspapers every day helps develop these abilities: you become faster at reading, your vocabulary improves a lot, and you get acquainted with different areas of interest such as science, society and economy -all of which appear in CAT passages.

As an example, you are advised to read newspapers like The Hindu and The Indian Express to train your CAT skills. Simultaneously, you will still need books about VA-RC and vocabulary to hone your skills. In this article, you’ll find the best newspapers as well as books to help you build a strong VARC foundation for CAT 2025 so that you can read smarter, not just harder

Best Newspapers to Improve Reading Comprehension for CAT 2025

Developing strong reading comprehension skills for CAT 2025 does not just end with solving RC passages but begins with the reading that you do daily. Newspapers are among the most effective means to improve the reading speed, vocabulary and critical comprehension.

They present you with different writing tones, perspectives and topics such as politics, economics, science and culture, which reflect the diversity of CAT RC passages. Reading editorials and opinion columns often assists you in learning how arguments are structured and substantiate them with facts.

The list of newspapers given below will aid in mastering reading comprehension to pass the CAT 2025 is detailed below.

Newspaper	Why It’s Recommended	Key Sections to Focus On	Reading Tip	What You’ll Learn	Suggested Frequency
The Hindu	Offers in-depth analysis and high-quality language. Articles cover politics, economy and social issues with a neutral tone.	Editorial, Opinion, Science & Technology	Read one editorial and summarize it in your own words.	Enhances comprehension of dense and balanced arguments.	Daily (45 minutes)
The Indian Express	Known for clear logic, structured arguments and rich vocabulary. Great for analytical reading practice.	Explained, Ideas, Editorial	Focus on “Explained” for simplified analysis of complex topics.	Builds understanding of cause-effect relationships and argument flow.	Daily (30-40 minutes)
Mint	Focuses on business, finance and policy. Uses precise and data-driven writing ideal for factual RCs.	Opinion, Long Story, Policy	Read one long-form story and note main arguments and data use.	Sharpens logical reasoning and clarity in reading data-heavy content.	4-5 times a week
The Economic Times	Strengthens awareness of economy and corporate topics. Vocabulary aligns with CAT-style RCs.	Markets, Opinion, Economy	Create a list of new terms weekly and revise on weekends.	Improves comfort with business and finance-oriented passages.	3-4 times a week
The Guardian (International)	Covers diverse themes - environment, politics, culture, science - with global perspectives.	Opinion, Environment, Global Development	Pick one article weekly and write a brief summary in 150 words.	Expands reading comfort with international writing tones and abstract themes.	Weekly
The Times of India	Simple writing helps warm up before reading complex material. Offers variety across lifestyle, current affairs and analysis.	Editorial, Speaking Tree	Read one editorial and reflect on tone and perspective.	Builds base-level reading comfort and tone identification.	2-3 times a week
Business Standard	Clear, fact-based writing is ideal for grasping policy and market logic.	Editorial, Economy, Policy	Practice highlighting the main idea and supporting arguments.	Helps in quickly identifying central themes and factual inferences.	3-4 times a week

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Best Books to Strengthen Reading Comprehension for CAT 2025

Books are one of the most powerful resources to help one improve their reading comprehension since they build your ability to read complex ideas patiently and clearly. The CAT exam usually has RC passages selected from various areas such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, science and economics.

Reading books across these genres trains your mind to deal with abstract reasoning, interpret nuanced arguments and recognize the author's tone and purpose-all of which help you score high in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC).

Below is a detailed list of the best books that will help strengthen your RC skills for CAT 2025, along with the key reasons each one will be beneficial.

Book Title	Author	Why It’s Recommended	Key Reading Focus	What You’ll Learn	Ideal Reading Strategy	Suggested Duration
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis	A vocabulary-building classic that enhances word recognition and contextual understanding - crucial for RC accuracy.	Focus on understanding root words and practice exercises.	Expands vocabulary, helps decode meanings quickly.	Study 20-30 minutes daily; revise weekly.	Continuous (2-3 months)
The Hindu Editorial Compendium	Various Authors	Curated collection of The Hindu editorials, ideal for analytical and argument-based reading practice.	Identify tone, argument structure and author stance.	Builds familiarity with editorial logic and reasoning.	Read 2-3 editorials per day; summarize in 100 words.	Ongoing (daily)
Thinking, Fast and Slow	Daniel Kahneman	Explores human thought patterns, reasoning and biases - great for abstract comprehension practice.	Note examples of cognitive bias and decision-making logic.	Improves ability to follow logical arguments and critical reasoning.	Read 10 pages daily; take short notes per section.	1 month
A Short History of Nearly Everything	Bill Bryson	Offers complex scientific concepts in easy language, ideal for science-themed RCs.	Focus on structure and explanation of facts.	Enhances comprehension of factual and explanatory passages.	Read one chapter weekly; summarize key takeaways.	6-8 weeks
The Economist Essays Collection	The Economist	Advanced-level writing on world economics, politics and innovation - mirrors CAT’s RC tone.	Identify thesis, counterarguments and supporting data.	Builds comfort with analytical and argumentative writing.	Read one essay every two days; mark thesis sentences.	Ongoing
The Art of Thinking Clearly	Rolf Dobelli	Discusses logical fallacies and mental shortcuts in concise chapters.	Focus on reasoning errors and tone analysis.	Sharpens logical reading and inference-making skills.	Read 2-3 chapters weekly; review summaries monthly.	1-1.5 months
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind	Yuval Noah Harari	Helps adapt to philosophical and sociological themes often seen in RC passages.	Track narrative flow and factual arguments.	Enhances long-form reading focus and comprehension depth.	Read 10-15 pages daily; note main ideas.	2 months
India Unbound	Gurcharan Das	Provides insights into India’s economic and social evolution in clear, analytical prose.	Observe how ideas progress logically across paragraphs.	Strengthens understanding of analytical Indian writing styles.	Read one section weekly; highlight economic arguments.	1 month
The Black Swan	Nassim Nicholas Taleb	Engages readers with complex reasoning and unpredictable ideas - excellent for abstract RCs.	Focus on paragraph transitions and key takeaways.	Improves grasp of abstract, unpredictable reasoning structures.	Read 8-10 pages per sitting; revisit notes.	1.5 months
Man’s Search for Meaning	Viktor E. Frankl	Emotionally powerful yet philosophical writing that improves understanding of tone and perspective.	Reflect on author’s purpose and emotion cues.	Sharpens tone detection and main idea identification.	Read one section per day; reflect briefly.	3-4 weeks
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT	Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay (Arihant)	Comprehensive CAT-oriented guide covering all VARC question types with concept notes and practice sets.	Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Summary Writing, Grammar	Understand question logic, improve accuracy and learn CAT-level reasoning.	Study one topic daily; solve 15-20 questions from practice sets; revise every weekend.	2-3 months (1 hour/day)
PSC for Verbal Ability for CAT	Nishit K. Sinha (Pearson)	Recommended by coaching institutes like TIME and IMS for advanced grammar and RC practice.	Sentence Correction, Critical Reading, Vocabulary	Learn to identify sentence errors and improve comprehension under time pressure.	Attempt end-of-chapter tests after theory; track weak areas.	1.5-2 months
30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary	Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis (Simon & Schuster)	A timeless vocabulary builder that strengthens word recognition and contextual meaning - essential for RCs.	Vocabulary & Word Usage	Expand vocabulary and enhance reading fluency.	Read one chapter daily; make flashcards for difficult words.	1 month (20-30 mins/day)
Word Power Made Easy	Norman Lewis (Goyal Publishers / Penguin)	Classic book that builds word roots and contextual usage, essential for improving comprehension speed.	Vocabulary & Root Words	Strengthen English fundamentals and retention of words.	Revise one session daily; apply new words in short notes.	45 days
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning	R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)	Great for strengthening logical reasoning and analytical reading needed for CAT VARC and LR sections.	Logical Reasoning, Critical Reading	Learn to read logically and identify argument flaws.	Practice 3-4 sets weekly along with RC passages.	2 months
How to Read Better and Faster	Norman Lewis (Goyal Publishers)	Builds reading speed, retention and comprehension - ideal for RC-heavy exams like CAT.	Reading Speed & Concentration	Increase reading efficiency and focus on main ideas.	Read 2 chapters weekly; use a timer for every exercise.	1.5 months
The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning for CAT	Nishit K. Sinha	Includes section tests, solved examples and topic-wise strategies for CAT VARC.	RCs, Para Summary, Sentence Correction	Strengthen logic-based comprehension and verbal reasoning.	Use as a mock drill book after covering basic concepts.	2-3 months
The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review	GMAC (for advanced practice)	High-quality RC and CR passages that match CAT’s difficulty level.	RC & Critical Reasoning	Improve inference and argument evaluation skills.	Practice one RC set daily; analyze explanation deeply.	Continuous (alternate days)

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Daily Reading Practice Routine for CAT RC Preparation

The CAT preparation for Reading Comprehension requires regular and conscious reading. A daily routine helps you increase your reading speed, improve accuracy of comprehension and acquaintance with a wide range of topics.

Do at least one RC passage in the afternoon from the CAT prep books or online resources to actually practice under mild pressure. You can keep your evening reserved for interesting non-fiction pieces from sources like Aeon, The Atlantic or BBC Future that help you get comfortable with complex and abstract ideas.

Time of Day	Activity	Focus Area	Duration	Outcome
Morning (7:00-8:00 AM)	Read an editorial from The Hindu, The Indian Express or The Guardian.	Current affairs, argument structure, tone detection	45-60 mins	Improves critical reading and vocabulary through exposure to diverse writing styles.
Afternoon (1:00-1:30 PM)	Read one passage from CAT preparation books or online RC sets (e.g., Arun Sharma, TIME portal).	Exam-oriented reading	30 mins	Builds familiarity with CAT-level question framing and time management.
Evening (6:00-7:00 PM)	Read one non-fiction article from Aeon, The Atlantic or BBC Future.	Abstract topics (philosophy, science, sociology)	45 mins	Enhances comprehension of unfamiliar subjects and abstract reasoning.
Night (Before Bed)	Revise key vocabulary and read 2-3 pages from a book of your choice (fiction/non-fiction).	Vocabulary retention and reading consistency	20-25 mins	Reinforces habit formation and keeps reading light yet consistent.
Weekend Practice	Take one timed mock RC test from official CAT resources or coaching material.	Integrated test exposure	1 hour	Measures progress and identifies accuracy gaps.

How to Choose the Best Newspapers and Books for CAT 2025 RC Preparation

Choosing the right reading materials is essential for improving your comprehension, vocabulary and analytical ability. Since CAT RC passages encompass diverse topics- from philosophy and economics to science and literature- you should choose resources that reflect variety.

Concentrate on publications and books that will challenge your thinking, improve your focus and expose you to different writing styles. Given below are some tips and tricks you can follow to choose the best newspapers and books for the CAT 2025 RC preparation

Prioritise quality over quantity: Choose reputed newspapers and authors known for analytical and well-structured writing
Ensure topic diversity: Include sources that cover politics, economics, literature as well as psychology so that you can build a balanced reading habit
Check difficulty level: Pick materials slightly above your comfort zone so that you can gradually sharpen your comprehension skills
Focus on editorials and opinion pieces: These sections closely resemble the CAT RC passages in terms of tone as well as complexity
Mix fiction and non-fiction: Fiction helps you develop inference skills, while non-fiction builds logical reasoning along with analytical depth
Follow consistency: Read a fixed set of publications and books regularly instead of switching between various options quite often

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Conclusion

Improving your skills for the Reading Comprehension section for CAT 2025 requires a little more than just solving innumerable passages; instead, it's about creating a disciplined and intelligent habit of reading. When you read every day from different sources and reflect on what you have comprehended, you can automatically and easily master tasks such as grasping ideas, tone identification and interpretation of meanings. Pairing structured reading with CAT mock tests for RC practice, vocabulary enhancement along with time management and you are all set to see progress every day.

The more you read with concentration and curiosity, the easier those complex passages will feel during the actual exam. Be patient, stay consistent and remember that smart reading every day is the most effective strategy to master CAT RC.