A Marshal in a Sri Lankan University is an official tasked with maintaining security and discipline within the university. The role played by Marshals is similar to that of campus police, however they are not law enforcement officials. The appointment of a Marshal is done by the University Act.
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History
The units of Marshals were formed in the campuses of the University of Ceylon and thereafter continued in the University of Sri Lanka. They were units responsible for maintaining student discipline on instructions of the vice-chancellor and the senior faculty and providing security for university students and property. They did not carry firearms and law enforcement within the university was provided by the police.
After the University of Ceylon was dissolved, its former campuses became independent universities and maintained the Marshals units. 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. In recent years units of Marshals were re-instituted in several universities.