<![CDATA[This study aims to critically evaluate the reconstruction of the merit system in the algorithmic era through the implementation of application-based performance assessments at the Malang Regency Civil Service and Human Resources Development Agency (BKPSDM). Using a descriptive qualitative method and an interpretive paradigm, this study examines how the transition from manual to digital assessment systems affects the objectivity and work culture of State Civil Apparatus (ASN). The findings indicate that algorithmic standardization has successfully established a new form of objectivity by reducing subjective intervention, minimizing spoil system practices, and enhancing transparency through integration with the Employee Income Supplement (TPP). However, the system’s effectiveness remains limited to quantitative accuracy, giving rise to “digital formalism,” where employees focus on fulfilling data input requirements rather than achieving substantive productivity. This condition creates a paradox of reporting distraction, shifting attention from service quality to meeting application indicators, consuming productive time, and increasing the risk of data manipulation. In addition, rigid algorithmic supervision generates psychological pressure that may reduce creativity and intrinsic motivation. The study concludes that the success of the merit system in the algorithmic era depends not only on technological sophistication but also on the balance between reliable algorithms and the moral integrity of human verifiers. Therefore, improvements are needed by integrating qualitative indicators into the system, simplifying application interfaces, and strengthening the role of supervisors as objective validators to ensure that digital transformation supports a more humanistic, transparent, and accountable merit system in Malang Regency.]]>
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