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NTA bars son of accused coach from NEET‑UG 2027 and withholds his result
Reported by Harshdeep Singh (Fact-Checker) · Indian Express - Education ·
Confirmed by a second source: Hindustan Times - Education
Representative image · Wikimedia CommonsThe National Testing Agency has barred Aditya Motegaonkar, son of Latur coaching centre owner Shivraj Motegaonkar, from sitting for the NEET‑UG 2027 exam and has withheld his earlier result. NTA sent a notice on September 19 declaring him ineligible and refusing to release his score from the retest held on June 21. Shivraj Motegaonkar was arrested by the CBI and is in judicial custody. The CBI says he paid Rs 5 lakh to NTA panel member P V Kulkarni to obtain chemistry questions. According to the agency, Aditya attended Kulkarni’s coaching classes where the leaked questions were allegedly given to him. After the June 21 retest, NTA asked Aditya for an explanation about the alleged irregularities. He denied using any unfair means and argued that the notice referred to the May 3 exam, which was cancelled after leak allegations, and questioned why his retest result was also blocked. The May 3 NEET‑UG paper was cancelled and the exam was re‑conducted on June 21. The CBI submitted its final report on the case to a designated fast‑track court in Delhi that handles paper‑leak and unfair‑means cases.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
The NTA announced on September 19 that Aditya Motegaonkar cannot sit for NEET‑UG 2027 and that his June 21 retest result will not be released. This follows a CBI investigation that linked his father, Shivraj Motegaonkar, to a Rs 5 lakh payment for chemistry questions from panelist P V Kulkarni. Shivraj is in custody, and the agency has asked Aditya to explain the alleged irregularities.
Why It Matters
NEET‑UG is the gateway to undergraduate medical courses in India. A paper leak threatens the fairness of the exam and can give an undue advantage to some candidates. By debaring Aditya and withholding his result, the NTA signals that cheating will be punished, which helps restore trust among students, parents, and coaching centres. The case also shows how law‑enforcement agencies are willing to pursue high‑profile exam fraud, potentially deterring future attempts.
What Happens Next
The CBI’s final report has been filed with a fast‑track court in Delhi. The court will decide on any penalties for Shivraj Motegaonkar and may consider further action against his son if evidence of wrongdoing is found. Meanwhile, the NTA may tighten its security protocols for future exams to prevent similar leaks.
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