Mustafa Otrar was born in Eskişehir in 1971, where he completed his primary and secondary education. In 1993, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychological Counseling and Guidance from the Faculty of Education at Marmara University. He worked as a guidance counselor in Bingöl and Istanbul before beginning his academic career as a Research Assistant at Marmara University in 1995. He completed his master’s degree in 1997 and his doctorate in 2006. Until 2011, he lectured on Statistics, Educational Statistics, Educational Psychology, Learning Psychology, and Guidance. That same year, he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation. In 2018, he was awarded the title of Associate Professor. Otrar has also served as a member and vice president of the Board of Education and Discipline at the Ministry of National Education, as well as Secretary-General of the 20th National Education Council. During the 2022–2023 academic year, he worked as a faculty member at Kırklareli University. In 2023, he was appointed Director General of Special Education and Guidance Services at the Ministry of National Education, a position he continues to hold.