Wide criticism from universities and schools regarding the current points system used by higher education admissions service Ucas means that the process is likely to receive a complete overhaul.

Under the current system, which is now more than ten years old, the results that students receive from A-Levels and equivalent courses are given a points score. Higher grades are worth more UCAS points and students need to accumulate the points total that their chosen degree course requests.

However, according to a new UCAS report, over 60% of universities want the current tariff system scrapped and replaced with a new process in which higher education institutions will ask for specific qualifications, grades and subjects for each respective course.

The proposed plans would mean that students could have a greater idea of which subjects are most relevant to their chosen degree course and eventual employment prospects. Experts say that this could better prepare students for the rigours and expectations of university education.

Is this necessarily a good thing? Potentially, these new plans would eventually result in a severe narrowing of options for most students, with the majority being pushed to take academic courses over vocational ones, in turn further heightening the distaste in which some pig-headed people view anything that isn’t traditional.

A UCAS spokesman has said: “It was widely felt that qualification and grade-based entry requirements and offers are clearer and more transparent for learners and offer those higher education providers who actively select applicants for their courses greater control over admissions.”

A final decision will be taken on whether to abolish the tariff system this autumn.