Avantika Gupta is a primary school teacher in Uttar Pradesh who has become the central figure in a dispute between a school principal and a Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), a district education official. The controversy surrounding Gupta involves allegations of prolonged absence from her duties at Nadwa Primary School in Sitapur.

The issue gained traction when students reportedly stated on camera that Gupta was frequently absent or would arrive late and leave early. These allegations led to her salary being withheld. The situation escalated when Brijendra Verma, the principal of Nadwa Primary School, allegedly assaulted BSA Akhilesh Singh with a belt after a heated argument at the BSA office. The assault was captured on CCTV and circulated widely on social media. Verma was arrested and suspended following the incident.

Verma's wife, Seema Verma, alleged that BSA Akhilesh Singh was pressuring her husband to mark Avantika Gupta as present, even when she was not. The principal's refusal to comply with these alleged instructions led to the BSA harassing him, demanding records of past work.

In response to the allegations of absenteeism, Avantika Gupta was asked to provide an explanation to the BSA office regarding her absence from August 21 to September 20, 2025. However, she did not attend the hearing on September 23, which resulted in her suspension.

The controversy has had a significant impact on the school's educational environment. Earlier, another teacher, Santosh Kumar Verma, was suspended for posting political content on social media and for irregular attendance. With Avantika Gupta's attachment to a competitive exam flying squad by the BSA, the school was left with limited staff, disrupting studies.

Following Principal Verma's suspension, students and parents protested outside the school, demanding his reinstatement. A local MLA, Asha Maurya, visited the school, opened locked classrooms, and encouraged students to resume their studies. However, the children refused, insisting on Verma's return. A local Member of Parliament, Rakesh Rathore, described the situation as unfortunate and called for an investigation into the events, including the alleged assault on the teacher.

The Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), Akhilesh Pratap Singh, has also been suspended for allegedly pressuring Principal Brijendra Kumar Verma to mark Avantika Gupta present despite her absences. An audio tape purportedly revealed Singh's repeated instructions to Verma to overlook Gupta's absenteeism, further fueling outrage within the education department. A departmental inquiry into Singh's conduct is underway.