BETWEEN RACIAL SELF-DECLARATION AND INSTITUTIONAL VERIFICATION: NORMATIVE INSTRUCTION NO. 261/2025 AND PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS IN THE STATE OF AMAPÁ

Abstract

Affirmative action policies constitute central instruments for confronting structural racial inequalities in Brazil, particularly in access to the public service. In the context of public competitive examinations, the effectiveness of reserved vacancies for Black candidates requires institutional mechanisms capable of ensuring the correct application of the policy, among which the complementary confirmation of racial self-identification stands out. This article aims to analyze the implementation of this procedure in the state of Amapá, in light of Joint Normative Instruction MGI/MIR/MPI No. 261/2025, based on an institutional experience report with a qualitative and analytical-reflective approach. The study articulates theoretical foundations on structural racism and affirmative action, the current regulatory framework, and the description of the experience of applying the regulation in an Amazonian context marked by historical, cultural, and racial specificities. The results indicate that Normative Instruction No. 261/2025 contributes to the standardization of procedures, the strengthening of legal certainty, and the institutional legitimacy of the quota policy, provided that it is accompanied by adequate training of the committees and the adoption of ethical and humanized practices. It is concluded that the experience in Amapá highlights the importance of context-sensitive implementation of affirmative public policies and offers relevant contributions to the improvement of the complementary confirmation of racial self-identification in the Brazilian public service.