A student has won the right to take Oxford University to court over claims it racially discriminated against him because he is Asian.

Hertford College student Nadeem Ahmed, 33, of Jericho, is claiming Oxford University discriminated against him when he was asked to resit an examination that he had failed in June 1999.

Mr Ahmed, who is studying Medieval Arabic Thought, was the only one of the three students who took it, to be asked to resit.

His claim is being supported by Oxfordshire Racial Equality Council.

At Oxford County Court on Tuesday, an application from the University to have the case thrown out was withdrawn. It was decided there was a case to answer.

The court heard that the university had admitted that the test breached its own examination regulations. Judge Charles Harris QC said a hearing could take place towards the end of the year.