The Kingdom of Merit - A story

Once upon a time, in a prosperous kingdom, there was a king who decided to centralize all the highest-level appointments across the companies and boards of the organizations under his absolute control through an Appointments Committee. Though intended to streamline operations, the king's decision had far-reaching consequences and soon sparked widespread unrest. He believed that his judgment was infallible, and thus decreed that all recruitment decisions would be made through rigid guidelines that reflected his personal influence. The interview started getting manipulated, and merit became secondary to the whims of powerful middlemen who claimed to represent the king.

As time passed, the effects of this decision became glaringly obvious. Public outcry grew louder, as citizens outcry of favoritism in each recruitment proces, thus loyalty and connections got favored over skills and qualifications. This caused mass unemployment, as qualified individuals found themselves overlooked in favor of those with the right connections. Only a select few, from a handful of elite colleges, had access to the kingdom's best jobs, leaving the majority of the population excluded from opportunities.

The kingdom, once a leader in innovation and progress, began to stagnate. The technical and scientific cadets, once integral to the kingdom’s development, were now pushed aside. Administrative cadres, easily manipulated by the king’s influence, filled the roles that once required specialized expertise. Innovation, the very lifeblood of the kingdom, was stifled, and crucial industries began to crumble. Policies were poorly executed, and inflation skyrocketed as the economy struggled under the weight of inefficiency.

Amid this chaos, one advisor, Raghav, known for his profound understanding of organizational efficiency, observed the escalating crisis. He knew that something had to be done to prevent the kingdom from slipping further into ruin.

One day, Raghav sought an audience with the king to discuss the state of the kingdom’s recruitment system. The king, who valued Raghav’s wisdom, agreed to meet.

“Your Majesty,” Raghav began, “I have been watching the consequences of your centralized approach to recruitment. It has led to a system where personal connections, rather than merit, determine who is hired. This has caused a growing unemployment crisis, and the most talented individuals, especially those from technical and scientific backgrounds, have been sidelined in favor of those who know how to play the system.”

The king listened, his defenses slowly crumbling as Raghav continued.

“The unemployment rate is rising, inflation is spiraling out of control, and only a few privileged colleges are securing the best jobs. Innovation has been stifled, and the kingdom’s industries are faltering. This is not the way forward.”

The king was deeply troubled by the situation but listened intently as Raghav pressed on.

“Your Majesty, the kingdom’s strength lies in its ability to foster talent, to encourage creativity and expertise. We need to prioritize merit above all else and ensure that those who are truly skilled and knowledgeable are the ones who rise to positions of power. The administrative cadres are important, but they must support, not replace, those who drive progress.”

Realizing the depth of the crisis, the king agreed to Raghav’s advice. He summoned the kingdom’s top leaders and experts to reform the recruitment process, restoring the focus on merit-based selection. The system was overhauled with the following mechanism, ensuring that only the most qualified individuals were appointed to key positions.

The new recruitment system may be centered on meritocracy, giving appropriate weight to education, experience, age, ability, intention, socio-economic conditions and personality. Ability could be assessed through objective competitive exams, while intention and personality could be evaluated through open interviews. Additionally, all high-level decisions related to recruitment, promotion, etc. of employees be made public to safeguard fundamental rights at large by both public and private organizations.

Over the coming months, the kingdom began to recover. Innovation flourished once again as the best minds returned to their rightful places. Industries boomed, unemployment decreased, and inflation was brought under control. The kingdom regained its status as a beacon of progress and prosperity.

Grateful for Raghav’s counsel, the king rewarded him handsomely and publicly acknowledged the importance of merit-based systems. From then on, the kingdom prioritized skill and expertise in its recruitment practices, ensuring that its future remained bright and that the people, no longer excluded from opportunities, could thrive once again.