NEET UG 2026: NTA debars Latur coaching centre owner’s son for two years over paper leak

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on September 23, 2026, debarred Aditya Motegaonkar from appearing in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG) examination for two years. He has also been declared ineligible for the NEET-UG 2027 examination. The action stems from alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case.

Aditya Motegaonkar is the son of Shivraj Motegaonkar, who owns Latur’s Renukai Career Coaching Institute and is identified as a key accused in the ongoing investigation into the paper leak. The NEET-UG 2026 exam, initially held on May 3, 2026, was cancelled on May 12, 2026, due to these allegations, affecting over 22.7 lakh aspirants across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. A re-examination was next conducted on June 21, 2026.

Allegations of Leaked Questions and Coaching Classes

The NTA’s debarment of Aditya Motegaonkar is linked to allegations that he attended coaching classes where leaked chemistry questions were provided. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Aditya Motegaonkar, who is 18 years old, stated that he attended a special class in a ‘deluxe room’ at Siddhivinayak Hospital in Latur. During these classes, Pralhad Vithalrao Kulkarni, who was on the NTA panel that set the questions for the examination, allegedly dictated 132 questions and answers.

Aditya Motegaonkar reportedly attended these classes at Siddhivinayak Hospital on April 18, 19, and 22, 2026, prior to the May 3 examination. Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure, who runs Siddhivinayak Hospital, has been arrested in connection with the case. The CBI has stated that Shivraj Motegaonkar, Aditya’s father, allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to procure chemistry questions in conspiracy with co-accused individuals.

CBI Investigation and Arrests

The CBI has made significant progress in its investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak case. Shivraj Motegaonkar was arrested by the CBI and is currently in judicial custody. The CBI submitted its final report before a designated fast-track court in Delhi last month, relative to September 23, 2026. The chargesheet, filed on July 28, 2026, names 13 accused individuals and lists 360 witnesses.

During the investigation, the CBI recovered Shivraj Motegaonkar’s phone, which contained 36 images, including 5 duplicates, showing 132 handwritten chemistry questions. Out of these, 111 questions allegedly match those in the NTA’s master question sets for NEET (UG) 2026. Metadata analysis indicated that these pictures were taken approximately 10 days before the May 3, 2026, examination. The money allegedly paid for sourcing the leaked questions was recovered by the CBI at the instance of co-accused Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure. A total of 13 persons have been arrested in the case, all of whom are in judicial custody.

Aditya Motegaonkar’s Response and NTA’s Action

Following the NEET-UG retest on June 21, 2026, the NTA put Aditya Motegaonkar’s result on hold and sought his explanation regarding the alleged irregularities. In his response, Aditya Motegaonkar denied adopting any unfair means during the examination. He contended that the notice issued to him related to alleged irregularities in the May 3, 2026, examination, implying that the retest result should not have been withheld on those grounds.

Despite his denial, the NTA proceeded with the debarment, making him ineligible for the NEET-UG 2027 examination and for two years overall. The NEET-UG examination is a crucial test conducted by the NTA for medical aspirants seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses across India.

Further reading

• Ladakh MBBS/BDS 2026-27: Apply in 7 days with NEET ranking via NIC portal
• NEET UG 2026 round 3 registration begins for Jharkhand state quota seats, apply by 24 September
• NEET application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply Next step
• CBSE 12th/CUET: Apply for B.Com in Auditing in Karnataka by Today
• Ladakh Central Pool MBBS/BDS: Apply by Sep 10 for 2026-27 single merit list Applications open
• NEET: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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