Oxford graduate sues university for £1 million after not getting a first-class degree

Faiz Siddiqui tells the High Court his grades prevented him having a successful career as an international commercial lawyer

Oxford University (Getty)

An Oxford graduate is suing the university for £1 million claiming the “appallingly bad” tuition cost him a first-class degree and prevented him from having a successful career.

Faiz Siddiqui told the High Court he believes he would have had a career as an international commercial lawyer if he had been awarded a 1st class degree rather than the 2:1 he achieved 16 years ago.

The trained solicitor suffers from depression and insomnia, which he links to examination results, and has led to an inability to hold down a job for a significant period of time.

Mr Siddiqui studied modern history at Brasenose College and claims he would have got a better grade if it wasn’t for “negligent” teaching on Indian imperial history in his final year.

Oxford University is looking to have his loss of earnings claim struck down, the Times reported.

Mr Siddiqui claims that during his final year four of the seven staff who taught the Indian imperial history course were on sabbatical leave, leading to a shortage of tutors.

Roger Mallalieu, Mr Siddiqui’s lawyer, said 13 of the 15 students who took the course received their lowest or joint lowest mark - showing “the standard of teaching was objectively unacceptable”.

Oxford University says the case is baseless and should be struck out because a number of years have passed since Mr Siddiqui graduated. The university also noted they made special allowance for Mr Siddiqui in some of his papers for hay fever.

A judgment is expected later this month.