A320CaptDav
DEC's will have little to no impact on upgrades simply because of the numbers. Overall, I'd be surprised if there are more than 30 who join. That's a months worth of F/O upgrades. It's a poor policy and one which nobody agrees with other than management and DECs themselves. As a previous poster has already stated, the policy has been around for as long as the airline. It's a means to keep the planes flying when planning has got the numbers wrong which they do with incessant regularity.
As for the idiots who made it through, well, that's going to happen in any airline and we have a few for sure. However, recruitment generally do a good job and most of the guys here are a good bunch. Furthermore, getting in is just one filter in the many these individuals will encounter on the road to command. Quite a few will be flagged along the way as unsuitable and will have remedial HF sessions before being considered for command. For some, the penny drops whilst others may remain in the right seat until retirement, voluntary or otherwise. DEC policy removes those extra filters but is tough. Ask those that get through the course, it's no walk in the park for sure.
...and yes, without doubt ther're are still one or two rare cases of 'unsuitables' slipping through the net....again, as in every airline no doubt!
Harry