In context of C++, consider the following statements:
I: Friend function of a class can directly access both private and protected data of the class.
II: Member function of derived class can directly access both private and protected data of the class. The true statement(s) is/are:

Question

In context of C++, consider the following statements: 
I: Friend function of a class can directly access both private and protected data of the class. 
II: Member function of derived class can directly access both private and protected data of the class. The true statement(s) is/are:

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):
Statement I is a fundamental definition of the 'friend' mechanism in C++. A function (or another class) explicitly declared as a *friend* inside a class is a designated exception to the standard encapsulation rules. This special friendship status grants the function the highest level of access, allowing it to bypass normal member access restrictions and directly manipulate *both* the `private` and `protected` data members of the class. The entire purpose of a friend function is to provide this selective access to hidden implementation details, making Statement I definitively TRUE.

The incorrect options are (2), (3), and (4):
Statement II is incorrect because it fails to observe the key distinction between private and protected access in C++ inheritance. While a member function of a derived class *can* directly access the `protected` members of its base class (this is the primary difference between `protected` and `private`), it is strictly prohibited from accessing the `private` members of the base class. The `private` keyword ensures that members are encapsulated and remain hidden and inaccessible to *any* external entity, including derived classes, friends of derived classes, or general code outside the original class definition. Since Statement II claims direct access to *both* private and protected data, which is false due to the lack of private member access, Statement II is FALSE. Therefore, the answer must be "Only I".