The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has issued a circular asking students to ensure that they carry their ID cards and those visiting them "cooperate with security personnel whenever they ask for identity".
The circular was issued by the university's chief security officer, Naveen Yadav, on September 19 and the newly elected students' union has criticised it.
"All residents are requested to carry their ID cards and ensure their visitors should also cooperate with security personnel whenever they ask for identity or want to search or frisk them or their vehicle," the circular read.
"From JNUSU, we condemn in the strongest of terms this direction from the Security Department that comes under the guise of making JNU a 'safe and secure campus'," the students' union said.
The "absurd" circular is trying to turn JNU campus into a jail, they alleged.
"We warn the Chief Security Officer that JNU students will not tolerate any surveillance on their movement," it said.
The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) rejects this circular in its entirety and requests the student community to resist this administration's "blatant attempt" to instill an atmosphere of surveillance, they said.