Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

In 1956, the Sri Lankan government passed an Act recognising Sinhala as the only official language, disregarding Tamil. This was followed by preferential policies favouring Sinhala applicants in university admissions and government jobs, and a constitution that directed the state to protect Buddhism.

These majoritarian measures created a deep sense of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils, who felt politically sidelined and culturally threatened. They initially demanded recognition of Tamil, regional autonomy, and equal opportunities. However, when their demands for provincial autonomy were repeatedly denied, the frustration escalated. By the 1980s, several organisations began demanding a separate Tamil Eelam in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. This distrust eventually turned into a civil war, causing massive loss of life, displacement of families, and severe damage to the country's social and economic fabric.

Source: Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka, Chapter 1

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• The examiner expects a chain of events: Act of 1956 → discrimination in jobs/education → alienation → demand for autonomy → demand denied → demand for Eelam → civil war.
• Use the key terms: majoritarianism, alienation, Tamil Eelam, civil war — these signal to the examiner you know the chapter vocabulary.
• Don't just list events; briefly show cause and effect between each step — that's what "analyse" means.
• At 3 marks, 3 clear connected points in 2–3 sentences each is ideal.