What are meritocratic criteria?

Meritocratic criteria are rules that help decide who gets to be in a group or get a prize based on how well they do.

Imagine you and your friends are trying to pick the best player for a game. Instead of picking someone just because they're the loudest, you all agree to play a quick race. Whoever runs the fastest gets to be the team captain. That’s meritocratic criteria, it's about who does the best job.

• Fair testing: Everyone has a chance to show what they can do.
• No special treatment: Just because someone is your friend doesn’t mean they automatically win.
• Based on performance: The person who works hardest or does the most impressive thing gets the reward.

Think of it like a classroom where the teacher gives a gold star to whoever answers the most questions correctly. No one gets a star just for sitting in the front row, that’s meritocratic criteria in action!