How strict is SRM University (main campus) when it comes to student freedom, life, party culture and interaction amongst peers of opposite gender?

Certainly much better than VIT where gaurds follow “protocols” to separate a couple walking together in the open campus roads. They might have the upper edge over SRM w.r.t academics but Wow. I wish them all the best for their jail – like social rules.
Let me give a gist of what kind of rules you can expect here.
From 21:30 for freshers the guy’s curfew increases as you become more senior. That being said, you see tons of 1st years roaming around the night canteen (24X7) at 03:00 at night. As long as you don’t enter into the collegiate buildings, you can roam at will inside campus.
Girls on the other hand habe a strict curfew of 18:30 for 1st years and 19:30 for 2nd and 3rd years.
Coming to parties and functions, you can expect countless parties/workshops/functions/award ceremonies/guest lectures/fests/road shows/performances blah blah..throughout the year, Aaruush being the college’s annual tech fest and Milan for cultural. Usually people run back home during those 5 days (aa you’d get a holiday from lectures) but I would strongly recommend you to be a part of this to gain experience and get a truck load of contacts, you know in case you walk into trouble anytime.
As for hostel life, I can only advise you to be within your limits for everything you do ( despite the considerable amount of freedom given go you) to avoid attention. Now I know, wardens and gaurds are usually a little “hot – headed” when it comes to this showing a closed ear on your side of story although you might not have done anything wrong.