AP Cadre IAS Officer Prasanna Venkatesh Appointed NTA Director
Prasanna Venkatesh is a graduate of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
VIJAYAWADA: The Centre has appointed Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer V. Prasanna Venkatesh as director of the National Testing Agency (NTA) for a five-year term.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on August 27, the competent authority approved the appointment of Prasanna Venkatesh, a 2012-batch IAS officer, as Director of the NTA under the Central Staffing Scheme.
He will hold the post for five years from the date of taking charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The DoPT has directed the Andhra Pradesh government to relieve him of his present responsibilities immediately and facilitate his joining the new assignment under the department of higher education in Delhi.
His appointment comes as the NTA is undergoing organisational changes aimed at strengthening the conduct and administration of major entrance and recruitment examinations.
Prasanna Venkatesh is a graduate of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. During his service in Andhra Pradesh, he has held several key positions, including Secretary of the Social Welfare Department and Secretary of the AP Social Welfare Residential Education Institutions Society (APSWREIS), Guntur.
He earlier served as Paderu sub-collector and subsequently held positions including additional commissioner in the erstwhile APCRDA, director of ports, joint collector of Kurnool and director of disaster management.
He served as collector and District Magistrate of Eluru from January 2022 to June 2024 before becoming Secretary of APSWREIS.
The DoPT order said an officer appointed under the Central Staffing Scheme must join the assigned post within three weeks. Failure to do so could lead to the initiation of debarment proceedings under the scheme. Prasanna Venkatesh has been directed to take up his new assignment without delay.