NEET UG 2026 leak probe: Who is Maharashtra's 'M Sir'?
The CBI has questioned RCC Classes founder Shivraj Motegaonkar in the NEET 2026 paper leak probe. The scrutiny has put a prominent Maharashtra coaching figure under focus as investigators examine alleged professional links in the case.
Shivraj Motegaonkar, known among students as “M Sir”, built one of Maharashtra’s largest coaching institutes from a small tuition setup in Latur. Today, the chemistry teacher who taught a handful of students in a rented room is under the scanner in the ongoing NEET 2026 paper leak investigation.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has reportedly questioned Motegaonkar for several days as part of its probe into the alleged irregularities surrounding the medical entrance examination.
Motegaonkar is the founder of RCC Classes (Renukai Career Center), a coaching institute known across Maharashtra for preparing students for NEET, JEE and CET examinations.
FROM FARMER'S FAMILY TO COACHING ENTREPRENEUR
Motegaonkar comes from a farming family in Maharashtra’s Latur district. Before building a large coaching network, he reportedly started by giving private tuition classes and travelled across the city on a bicycle to teach students.
In the late 1990s, he began coaching around ten students in a rented room. Former students and coaching circles say he was closely involved in daily teaching, preparing handwritten notes and conducting chemistry classes for school students and entrance exam aspirants.
Over time, his institute expanded alongside the rise of the “Latur Pattern”, an education model associated with high scores in board and competitive examinations in Maharashtra.
RCC CLASSES GREW ACROSS MAHARASHTRA
RCC Classes later expanded beyond Latur and opened centres in cities including Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Solapur and Kolhapur.
According to estimates, around 40,000 students enrol annually in different RCC programmes.
The institute has also built an online presence through YouTube, WhatsApp groups, mobile applications and social media platforms. Its Instagram account has over 66,000 followers.
RCC is known for chemistry notes, test series, mentorship programmes and digital study material aimed at NEET and JEE aspirants.
WHY IS MOTEGAONKAR BEING QUESTIONED?
Motegaonkar has not been arrested in the case. However, investigators are examining his alleged professional links with PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry professor who has been arrested in connection with the NEET paper leak probe.
Reports suggest Kulkarni had taught at RCC Classes in the past. Investigators are now looking into whether any professional association between the two is relevant to the ongoing investigation.
The CBI has not publicly detailed the nature of questioning or any findings related to Motegaonkar.
The NEET 2026 paper leak case has led to investigations across several states, with agencies examining possible links between coaching institutes, individuals and networks allegedly connected to the leak.
Authorities have maintained that the probe is ongoing and further action will depend on evidence collected during the investigation.
For many students in Maharashtra, “M Sir” remains a familiar name associated with chemistry coaching. But as the NEET investigation widens, attention has now shifted from classrooms to questioning rooms.