Solution

The correct answer is option 3: Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect

Key Points

• Friend Function: A friend function in C++ is a function that is not a member of a class but has access to its private and protected members. It is declared using the keyword friend inside the class.
• Friend Class: All member functions of a friend class can directly access private and protected members of the class that declared it as a friend.

Statement I: TRUE ✅

• The friend function and member functions of a friend class can directly access the private and protected data of the class in which they are declared as friend.
• This is by definition of friendship in C++.

Statement II: FALSE ❌

• A friend function does not need to go through member functions of the base class to access private members.
• It either has direct access (if declared friend), or it doesn’t have access at all.
• Also, friend functions are not inherited through base classes — so they don't have privileged access via base class methods unless explicitly declared as friend in that class.

Hence, only Statement I is correct.

Final Answer: Option 3) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect