The demand for places at Chinese universities aimed at the over 60s is so great only one in four applicants are being accepted due to the limited supply, an official for elderly affairs said on Wednesday.

Some 73,000 educational institutions aimed at seniors have opened nationwide, yet they can hardly meet the needs of 240 million people age 60 or over, according to Diao Haifeng, head of publicity for the Office of the National Working Commission on Aging.

The schools largely provide courses on traditional arts and culture, such as calligraphy, painting and Chinese chess.

In some places, the demand is so high "applicants have to line up for a position overnight, which poses a great risk to their health as well as social stability", Diao warned.

He said about 8 million elderly are currently enrolled at these universities, while authorities are also developing community projects to boost availability.

"We're working toward the goal that, by the end of 2020, more than 20 percent of the over-60s population can receive education through various means," he added.

According to figures from Diao's office, people age 60 or above accounted for 17.3 percent of China's population last year.

The country has stepped up education programs nationwide to raise public awareness on aging and has called on the public to care for seniors.

Local governments are also required to promote aging-related education, which has been incorporated into the annual work plans and performance evaluations for local officials.