Same qualities, different methods: that’s allowed
You don’t have to interview everyone the same way.
Panels sometimes believe merit means every candidate must face an identical process: same questions, same format, same timing. That is a misreading.
The APSC is explicit: merit-based recruitment does not require that every candidate is subject to exactly the same assessment. What it requires is a comparative assessment of the same work-related qualities. Methods can be adapted, for candidates with disability, for remote candidates, for candidates whose strengths show better in writing than in live interview, provided the underlying qualities being assessed stay constant.
This matters for reasonable adjustments, for neurodivergent candidates, and for candidates who cannot attend in person. Rigid uniformity is not fairness. Consistent comparison of work-related qualities is.