Universities have been accused of social engineering after it emerged that poor students enjoyed a better rate of offers for places than their richer peers.
Ahead of A-level results day, Ucas, the admissions body, said deprived youngsters had been put first this year to try to 'widen participation'.
For the first time ever, universities have been provided with data on free school meals to help them select the poorest applicants, it was revealed yesterday.
And new figures show the offer rate for the most disadvantaged students was 75 per cent, against 73 per cent for the most advantaged.
Rates for both groups were 78 per cent last year, meaning the well-off suffered a bigger drop than the poor.
Universities are prioritising low-income students following heavy pressure to appear less elitist.
