The Supreme Court on Monday told the Centre to give reasons if the government is departing from the decision taken last year, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in connection with the class XII board exams. The top court suggested that the policy adopted last year can also be adopted this year.

Attorney General (AG) K.K. Venugopal, representing the Centre, urged the top court to give him time till Wednesday to come back with a decision on cancelling of class XII board exams due to the pandemic. A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari told the AG, "you take a decision, but if you are departing from the decision taken last year in connection with the exams, then you must give us good reasons."