Students at the University of Bath are complaining that they are having to sit in the aisles of lecture rooms because of overcrowding.

One said that even some exams had had to be taken in such unsuitable conditions.

The university is telling its academic departments to seek 20% cuts in their use of lecture rooms in an effort to fit in more people.

Some students say there should be corresponding cuts in the tuition fees they have to pay.

Changes

Lectures might also be cut in duration from 50 minutes to 40.

Already some are being held as early as 8.15 in the morning or as late as 6.15pm.

One undergraduate told BBC News Online: "There are lectures now which are so overcrowded that we have students sitting on the floor, in the aisles or simply getting turned away because there isn't the room.

"Some students have even had to do exams sat cross-legged on the floor because there weren't enough tables and chairs."

She added: "Resources such as the library, computing services and catering facilities are stretched to breaking point, with little expansion in recent years despite large increases in student numbers."

Increase

Complaints have been pouring in to the students' union.

One student wrote: "If we're having our lecture time cut down by 20% is there any way we can reclaim 20% of our tuition fees? It seems only fair."

Bath's student numbers have gone from about 9,000 in 1999 to more than 11,000 this year.

The university says it is a victim of its own success.

A spokesman said: "We are an increasingly popular choice of place to study so we have to make sure we use all our available space effectively to cope with the wonderful growth in demand.

"That's what we are asking departments to look into before mid-February."

He said the overcrowding problem had been made worse by the discovery of asbestos in a key teaching building, which had to be closed.