Sorry, but what the hell is a "merit list"???????????
This is just effing corrupt!!!! There is no other word for it.
Standard Public service hiring practice is that a hiring decision is made from a list of candidates who meet the experience and qualification requirements of the position on the day. All other candidates are rejected once a candidate accepts an offer and the process is complete.
There is no "merit list" because that is an open invitation to official corruption - to get ones name on "the list", presumably to wait until there is a "suitable" appointment available.
I cannot stress to much that a public company adopting such a process would face an almost immediate legal challenge from any number of sources. This is just plain ******* corrupt.
The existence of a "list" in a hiring process is just plain indefensible