The role played by Marshals is similar to that of campus police, however they are not law enforcement officials.
They intervene in instances of misconduct and breakdown of law and order and report the incident to the police.
They did not carry firearms and law enforcement within the university was provided by the police.
These were dropped in the 1980s and replaced by private security guards who did not have the authority to maintain student discipline.
Subsequently, clashes between student groups and ragging resulting in student deaths were blamed on the lack of disciplinary or actual control applied by the security guards.