From correspondents in Delhi, India, 04:04 PM IST

The government hopes to end dropouts from schools at the secondary level by 2020, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said Wednesday.

Around 50 percent of students drop out of secondary level schools in India. The minister said in the Lok Sabha: 'We are trying for 100 percent retention in secondary level by 2020.'

But the minister said central government seeks the help of states, civil society and private organisations to improve the state of affairs. 'Who knows, we may achieve it before (2020).'

(Staff Writer, © IANS)