Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Centre Appoints Five Officers as NTA Overhaul Advances
The government has chosen five new officers to help run India’s National Testing Agency.
The agency organizes important examinations.
The new officers are part of a larger plan to improve how exams are conducted.
The plan follows recommendations from the Radhakrishnan Committee.
The NTA has created 16 new senior posts and is hiring more specialists.
It has also removed 600 experts and brought new experts into its examination team.
A four-step checking system for question papers is being introduced to reduce mistakes.
The agency is also planning stronger security, a possible office move and new technology and finance leadership roles.
The Centre approved five appointments to the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education.
Anshuman Sharma was appointed Joint Secretary, while Sathiya S, Prasanna Venkatesh V, Ravi Kumar Singh and Amit Samdariya received director-level posts.
The appointments raise the NTA’s total to five directors and four joint directors appointed since March 2025.
The overhaul follows recommendations from the October 2024 Radhakrishnan Committee and includes 16 newly created posts.
The NTA is also introducing four-tier question-paper checks, recruiting specialists and strengthening security and infrastructure.
- Who
- The Centre, the National Testing Agency, the Department of Higher Education and the five newly appointed officers.
- What
- The government approved five appointments as part of a major overhaul of the NTA’s examination system.
- When
- The latest appointments were announced after earlier appointments made in 2025 and on May 16, 2026; the Education Ministry issued a related statement on August 18.
- Where
- At the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education; a new NTA office location was also proposed.
- Why
- To strengthen the NTA’s permanent workforce, examination procedures, question-paper scrutiny, security and infrastructure.
- New appointments
- Anshuman Sharma was appointed Joint Secretary; Sathiya S, Prasanna Venkatesh V and Ravi Kumar Singh were appointed Directors; and Amit Samdariya was appointed Joint Director.
- NTA leadership additions
- The latest appointments bring the number of directors appointed since March 2025 to five and joint directors to four.
- New posts
- The government created 16 new posts at the director and joint director levels, eight at each level.
- Workforce changes
- The NTA removed 600 experts and began bringing new experts into its examination team.
- Question-paper checks
- A four-tier system was introduced to strengthen scrutiny and reduce the possibility of errors.
- Planned recruitment
- The Director General said 20 to 25 officials would be inducted over the following two to three weeks.
- Security measures
- The NTA proposed moving to new premises and strengthening security through Central Industrial Security Force teams.