Top UK universities including Oxford, Manchester and Bristol are adopting a new admissions model that considers students’ socio-economic backgrounds rather than purely academic scores. This means students from disadvantaged schools or underrepresented communities could get offers even if they don’t meet standard grade criteria.
The change, education experts say, could serve as a model for countries like India, where coaching culture often sidelines talented students from rural and low-income families.
The UK’s new approach aligns with India’s NEP 2020 vision of holistic evaluation and could prompt renewed debate on fairness in entrance exams like JEE and NEET.
