▁of ▁U tt ar ▁Pr adesh , ▁M ata ▁Pr as ad ▁secured ▁his ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁first ▁class ▁from ▁Al la hab ad ▁University ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁professor ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁at ▁the ▁department ▁of ▁econom ics ▁of ▁the ▁university . ▁He ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁academic ▁post ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁the ▁Indian ▁Administr ative ▁Service ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁served ▁the ▁civil ▁service ▁for ▁over ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁till ▁his ▁super ann u ation ▁as ▁the ▁secretary ▁of ▁Water ▁Resources ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁India . ▁In ▁between ▁he ▁held ▁several ▁positions ▁such ▁as ▁District ▁Collect or ▁of ▁the ▁districts ▁of ▁Al m ora , ▁Et ah , ▁L akh imp ur ▁and ▁B are illy ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Div is ional ▁Commission er ▁of ▁A gra ▁district . ▁Sub sequently , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Man aging ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁C ement ▁Corporation ▁of ▁U tt ar ▁Pr adesh ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁re venue ▁department ▁posts ▁as ▁the ▁secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁U tt ar ▁Pr adesh ▁and ▁head ed ▁various ▁depart ments ▁including ▁Public ▁Enter pr ises , ▁Administr ative ▁Re forms , ▁Pl anning , ▁Home , ▁J ail , ▁Home ▁Gu ards , ▁Civil ▁Def ence , ▁Political ▁P ensions ▁and ▁Official ▁Language . ▁Mov ing ▁to ▁the ▁Union ▁Government ▁as ▁a ▁J oint ▁Secretary ▁at ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Human ▁Resource ▁Development , ▁he ▁head ed ▁the ▁Department ▁of