<![CDATA[ABSTRACT Village governance requires competent and professional village officials who are able to provide accountable public services. This condition makes the selection process important to conduct objectively and systematically because a selection process that is not transparent may raise concerns about fairness and the quality of selection outcomes. This study aims to analyze the role of competency tests and structured interviews in improving the validity of village apparatus selection in Kutalanggeng Village, Tegalwaru District, Karawang Regency. The study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. Informants were selected using purposive sampling based on their direct involvement, experience, and knowledge of the selection process, with informants being further identified through snowball sampling when necessary. The informants included the village head or village secretary, selection committee members, sub-district government representatives, Village Consultative Body members, community leaders, and village apparatus candidates. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis and analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data credibility was strengthened through source triangulation, technique triangulation, and member checking. The findings indicate that competency tests assess candidates' technical abilities and administrative knowledge, whereas structured interviews assess integrity, communication, motivation, and service orientation. The combination of both instruments provides a more comprehensive assessment and supports objectivity and transparency in the selection process. The findings indicate that standardized selection instruments can strengthen merit-based recruitment in village government. ABSTRAK Penyelenggaraan pemerintahan desa menuntut perangkat desa yang kompeten, profesional, dan mampu memberikan pelayanan publik secara akuntabel. Kondisi tersebut menjadikan proses seleksi perangkat desa penting dilakukan secara objektif dan terukur, terutama karena seleksi yang kurang transparan dapat menimbulkan keraguan terhadap keadilan dan kualitas hasil seleksi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis peran uji kompetensi dan wawancara terstruktur dalam meningkatkan validitas seleksi perangkat desa di Desa Kutalanggeng, Kecamatan Tegalwaru, Kabupaten Karawang. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus. Informan dipilih menggunakan teknik purposive sampling berdasarkan keterlibatan langsung, pengalaman, dan pengetahuan mengenai proses seleksi, dengan pengembangan informan melalui snowball sampling apabila diperlukan. Informan penelitian meliputi kepala desa atau sekretaris desa, panitia seleksi, perwakilan pemerintah kecamatan, anggota BPD, tokoh masyarakat, dan calon perangkat desa. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi, dan studi dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña melalui reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Keabsahan data diperiksa melalui triangulasi sumber, triangulasi teknik, dan member check. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa uji kompetensi berperan dalam menilai kemampuan teknis dan pengetahuan administratif, sedangkan wawancara terstruktur menilai integritas, komunikasi, motivasi, dan orientasi pelayanan. Kombinasi keduanya memberikan penilaian yang lebih komprehensif dan mendukung objektivitas serta transparansi proses seleksi. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan instrumen seleksi yang terstandar dapat memperkuat penerapan prinsip merit dalam pengisian perangkat desa.]]>
