Ministers ‘roll back controls’ to help top students

Under reforms revealed yesterday, institutions will be able to recruit as many teenagers with at least an A and two B grades at A-level as they want in 2013.

It is likely to mean that universities are competing for around 120,000 students – one in three of the places available.

This year, institutions were allowed to recruit as many students with two As and a B as they wanted – around 85,000 people in total.

The expansion means it is expected that a further 35,000 youngsters will now join this pool of unrestricted students that institutions can recruit from.

The move comes despite pleas from university leaders, who have warned Ministers against moving too fast with the scheme.

Universities Minister David Willetts said: “A third of all students will now be free of number controls. This is what our university reforms are all about – putting choice and power in the hands of students.

“We are rolling back the controls on places at individual universities that have been a barrier to competition. Students will gain as universities attract them by offering a high-quality academic experience.”

The plans are likely to benefit the country’s top universities who will be able to expand the numbers of bright students that they take.

But other, less elite institutions are likely to miss out, if bright undergraduates choose to go to their more prestigious rivals.

Ministers also announced yesterday that an extra 5,000 places will be handed to universities and colleges that keep their fees low next year. These places, known as “core and margin” places are awarded to institutions that set fees at £7,500 or less. Some 20,000 core and margin places were awarded this year.

The offer of these places was widely seen as an attempt by ministers to keep fees low after it began to emerge that many universities and colleges would charge at, or close to, the maximum £9,000 from this autumn.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said: “It seems very premature for the Government to extend its AAB policy when we have yet to see the impact of it. This looks like the triumph of ideology over evidence-based policy-making.”