[Nasrudith]

Meritocracy is a spectrum really. Essentially if it looks only at current merit regardless of the circumstances it is still technically meritocratic even if it is unfair.

If only the best fighters can be knights but those raised in wealth have a vast advantage but any peasant outliers can become one it is more meritocratic than one which only allows those of noble birth but selects from canidates within. The fact the nobles compete is the only thing which gives a scintilla of meritocracy.

A system of commissions for officers based entirely on wealth would ironically be less meritocratic than the nobles only pool because it doesn't factor merit in at all.

The adhectives eglataran and meritocratic are technically two separate aspects. Although they are synergistic in that the aspects are stronger together than apart. Equal opportunity of resources would be more meritocratic than a "pure" meritocracy and more meritocracy undermines "gatekeepers" which may emerge among eglatarans where merit isn't what determines advancement.