Forty-two per cent of the UK's top scientists and scholars were privately educated and the trend looks likely to continue, a report suggests.
A study by the Sutton Trust educational charity looked at the schools and universities attended by 1,700 top scientists and scholars.
It also found 51% of medics, 70% of judges, 54% of leading journalists and 32% of MPs went to independent schools.
The charity says less-privileged children should be given equal chances.
Private schools educate about 7% of children in the UK and about 9% of 17-year-olds. About 14% of university entrants are from independent schools.
In the study, analysts looked at the educational backgrounds of 1,700 of the 2,200 fellows of the Royal Society and British Academy.
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