The myth of meritocracy: academicism and methodological flaws in Brazilian public recruitment

Abstract

Is there meritocracy when 58% of administrative assistants and 87% of physicians employed in Brazilian federal higher education institutions (HEI) were selected through public exams based solely on theoretical multiple-choice tests? Is there meritocracy in selection processes that do not assess the candidates’ experience or apply discursive or practical exams? This article addresses a historically constructed assumption assimilated as a kind of myth in Brazil: the idea that the current model for filling government positions is meritocratic. The extreme objectivity of these public exams reduces the Brazilian tradition of nepotism but presents serious flaws. One is academicism, which overvalues educational titles and theoretical knowledge at the expense of essential skills for many government positions. Calls for civil service entrance exams to fill administrative and medical positions in federal HEI throughout Brazil were verified using the descriptive statistics method (via frequency analysis), tabulating the evaluation types used in each selection, and generating tables and graphs. The results suggest adopting assessments more broadly connected with the competencies the positions require and prioritizing skills and practical behaviors instead of theoretical knowledge of little or no applicability. The study points out alternatives for a nation with more than 200 million inhabitants, the vast majority of which do not realize the incalculable damage of real academicism and illusory meritocracy.