A flawed formula for meritocracy

The fact that viva marks are going up to 400 percent while the pass marks for written tests are being decreased in government staff recruitment is indeed concerning. According to a report published by this daily, a 13-member committee approved the proposal to change the grading weights for the oral exam from 10 to 25, 40 and 50 across three tiers for grades 11 to 20. The decision to lower the passing threshold for written tests also raises questions.

While the public administration ministry says the initiative is part of the government’s effort towards establishing meritocracy, it begs the question of how that meritocracy will be established by increasing viva marks without a sound rationale. The reasoning provided by the ministry highlighted factors like candidates using proxy examinees, the prevalence of AI use, or the use of various electronic devices. But if cheating in written tests is the problem, how does lowering their grading weights solve it? More importantly, why increase the weight of the oral test when it is already vulnerable to subjectivity and manipulation—something that even the prime minister’s information and broadcasting adviser acknowledged himself?

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The adviser also said the government believes the new policies can yield better results and highlighted his own experience as a medical student, where oral examinations carried significant weight. But a medical examination is not necessarily an appropriate model for recruiting the wide range of maintenance, technical, clerical, administrative and supervisory staff covered by these grades. Not all of these roles require the same level of oratory prowess, nor can all technical skills be properly evaluated through oral exams. If they primarily test memorisation, confidence, and the ability to perform under pressure, they may tell us more about a candidate’s interview skills than their suitability for a job. This can also disadvantage candidates whose strengths are not best demonstrated through conventional interview settings.

Therefore, if spoken tests are to carry substantially greater weight in job recruitment tests, there must first be safeguards against undue influence, clear and standardised assessment criteria, greater accountability for viva boards, and assessments tailored to the requirements of individual jobs. After all, meritocracy cannot be established by simply shifting marks from one imperfect system to another. Before making such a consequential change, the government must demonstrate that it will actually help identify merit and not simply give those with influence another opportunity to determine who gets the job.