Answer:

merit

Answer	Crossword Clue
MERIT	Excellence
MERIT	High value
MERIT	Kind of pay or system

MERIT	Worth
MERIT	Deserve
MERIT	Type of badge
MERIT	Be worthy of
MERIT	Deserve to get
MERIT	Worthiness
MERIT	Earn
MERIT	Reason for a scout's badge

MERIT	Have coming
MERIT	Reason for a raise
MERIT	Promotion basis
MERIT	Scholarship criterion
MERIT	Kind of Boy Scout badge
MERIT	Reason for an award
MERIT	.. badge
MERIT	Kind of badge

MERIT	Badge justification
MERIT	Reason for a badge
MERIT	Cause for a raise
MERIT	Kind of badge for a scout
MERIT	Promotion prompter
MERIT	Scholarship basis
MERIT	Kind of badge, or what gains it
MERIT	... badge (boy scout's award)

MERIT	Scout's badge
MERIT	Good quality
MERIT	Value
MERIT	Commendable quality
MERIT	Raise criterion
MERIT	Be deserving of
MERIT	Reason for some raises
MERIT	Deserve to receive

MERIT	Academy Award of ... (official name for an Oscar)
MERIT	Order of ..., British decoration.
MERIT	Recognition.
MERIT	Deserve.
MERIT	Excellence.