London: Bristol University has come in for severe criticism from many a private independent school after an exceptionally brilliant Indian boy was refused admission. But Bristol's loss is Cambridge's gain.

Rudi Singh, 19, was turned down by Bristol despite getting 11 'A star' grades at the General Certificate of Secondary Examination (GCSE) – equivalent of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in India – five 'A' grades at 'A'-level and winning exam board awards for being among the top five candidates in the country.

However, Singh went on to gain a place at Cambridge University to study economics.

Roger Dancey, the chief master at King Edward's school in Birmingham where Singh was a pupil, said he was a "sensational" student who had been treated unjustly.

"It is clearly wrong for some candidates to be turned away in favour of applicants with lower grades," he said.

Singh, whose parents are doctors, dropped only 15 marks out of a maximum 1,200 in his 'AS'-levels ('A Star' levels), and won three exam board prizes for being in the top five candidates for three of his 'A'-level subjects.

Bristol is now being targeted by independent schools, which are so concerned about its perceived bias against them that they are warning even their brightest pupils against applying to it to study English, history, economics or law.

Leading independent schools are prepared to back a test case against the university, which openly admits that it will take state school pupils in preference to those from private schools with better grades.

Singh has also played cricket for Warwickshire under-19s. His brother Anurag is the opening batsman for Worcestershire.

PTI