NEW DELHI: In a significant administrative move to strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Centre has brought in five officers within 24 hours, filling key positions at the agency under the Department of Higher Education.
Two more appointments were announced on Friday, August 28, a day after three officers were appointed to the NTA on August 27.
The five appointments include officers from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), with responsibilities ranging from Joint Secretary and Director-level positions to Joint Director.
The Government of India has approved the appointment/selection of the following officers to the NTA:
- Anshuman Sharma, IRS (IT:2005) — Joint Secretary
- Sathiya S, IRS (IT:2011) — Director
- Prasanna Venkatesh V, IAS (AP:2012) — Director
- Ravi Kumar Singh, IPS (AGMUT:2012) — Director
- Amit Samdariya, IRS (C&IT:2016) — Joint Director
The rapid appointments indicate a major strengthening of the administrative and leadership structure of the testing agency.
Ravi Kumar Singh Appointed NTA Director
Ravi Kumar Singh, IPS (AGMUT:2012), has been appointed Director in the National Testing Agency under the Central Staffing Scheme.
Mr Singh was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), his appointment will be for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
His appointment brings an IPS officer with experience in policing and administration into a key role at the national testing agency.
IAS Officer Prasanna Venkatesh V Named Director
Prasanna Venkatesh V, IAS (AP:2012), has also been appointed Director in the NTA.
He has been appointed under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
His appointment is part of the Centre’s latest move to strengthen the agency with experienced officers drawn from different All India Services.
Amit Samdariya Appointed Joint Director
Amit Samdariya, IRS (C&IT:2016), has been appointed Joint Director in the NTA at the Deputy Secretary level.
Samdariya was recommended for central deputation by the Department of Revenue.
According to the DoPT order, his appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme will be for four years from the date of taking over charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The appointment adds another IRS officer to the NTA’s newly strengthened administrative structure.
Sathiya S Gets NTA Director Role on Lateral Shift
Sathiya S, IRS (IT:2011), who is currently serving as Director in the Ministry of Cooperation, has been appointed Director in the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education.
Her appointment has been made on a lateral shift basis.
According to the DoPT order issued on Friday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved her appointment based on the recommendation of the Civil Services Board under the Central Staffing Scheme.
She will serve in the NTA until August 24, 2030, representing the balance period of her five-year deputation tenure at the Director level, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Her lateral movement brings an experienced officer already serving at the Director level into the NTA.
Anshuman Sharma Appointed Joint Secretary
Anshuman Sharma, IRS (IT:2005), has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education.
His appointment has been approved for a period of five years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The DoPT order stated that the ACC approved his appointment by temporarily upgrading a vacant Deputy Secretary/Director-level post to the level of Joint Secretary in the NTA.
The temporary upgradation has been approved for an initial period of two years.
His appointment is among the most senior-level additions in the latest restructuring of the agency.
Three Appointments Announced a Day Earlier
The latest two appointments follow three appointments announced by the Centre on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
On Thursday, the government appointed:
- Ravi Kumar Singh, IPS (AGMUT:2012), as Director;
- Prasanna Venkatesh V, IAS (AP:2012), as Director; and
- Amit Samdariya, IRS (C&IT:2016), as Joint Director at the Deputy Secretary level.
With the Friday appointments of Sathiya S and Anshuman Sharma, the total number of officers brought into the NTA within the 24-hour period has reached five.
Five Officers From IAS, IPS and IRS Join NTA
The appointments have significantly diversified the senior administrative composition of the NTA.
The five officers represent three major civil services — IAS, IPS and IRS — and have been assigned roles at Joint Secretary, Director and Joint Director levels.
- Anshuman Sharma, IRS (IT:2005) — Appointed Joint Secretary in the NTA.
- Sathiya S, IRS (IT:2011) — Appointed Director on a lateral shift basis.
- Prasanna Venkatesh V, IAS (AP:2012) — Appointed Director under the Central Staffing Scheme.
- Ravi Kumar Singh, IPS (AGMUT:2012) — Appointed Director under the Central Staffing Scheme.
- Amit Samdariya, IRS (C&IT:2016) — Appointed Joint Director (Deputy Secretary level) under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The appointments have been made through different administrative routes, including the Central Staffing Scheme and, in Sathiya S’s case, a lateral shift.
Strengthening NTA’s Administrative Structure
The rapid induction of five officers comes at a time when the National Testing Agency continues to handle several major entrance and recruitment examinations across the country.
The NTA operates under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, and conducts a wide range of high-stakes examinations for admission to educational institutions and other purposes.
The latest appointments strengthen the agency at multiple levels, including its senior administrative leadership and Director-level management.
The inclusion of officers with backgrounds in revenue, policing, administration and technology-related functions also brings diverse government experience into the agency.
Central Staffing Scheme and Tenure Details
Three of the newly appointed officers — Ravi Kumar Singh, Prasanna Venkatesh V and Amit Samdariya — have been appointed under the Central Staffing Scheme with fixed deputation periods.
Singh and Prasanna Venkatesh V will serve as Directors for five years, while Samdariya will serve as Joint Director for four years, subject to the condition that their appointments may end earlier if further orders are issued.
Sathiya S, meanwhile, will continue as Director until August 24, 2030, covering the balance of her existing five-year deputation tenure.
Anshuman Sharma has been appointed Joint Secretary for five years, while the post he occupies has been temporarily upgraded from the Deputy Secretary/Director level to Joint Secretary level for an initial two-year period.
A Major Administrative Push at the Testing Agency
The appointment of five officers within 24 hours represents a significant infusion of senior administrative talent into the NTA.
With three Directors, a Joint Secretary and a Joint Director being brought into the organisation, the latest orders substantially strengthen its senior management structure.
The appointments also underline the Centre’s focus on bringing experienced officers from different services into the agency as it continues to handle the country’s major national-level examinations.
The five appointments — spread across the IAS, IPS and IRS — are expected to add administrative, operational, regulatory and management expertise to the NTA’s functioning.
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