Consider the following statements:

Statement I: The spread of English in India has produced both empowering and unequal outcomes.

Statement II: English has created opportunities in the global job market while remaining unevenly accessible across society.

Choose the correct answer.

Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.

The correct answer is Option 1: Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.

Statement I: The spread of English in India has produced both empowering and unequal outcomes. — Correct. Knowledge of English has created new opportunities by providing an advantage in the global market and opening doors for groups that were earlier denied access to formal education. However, English continues to remain a mark of privilege, resulting in unequal outcomes.

Statement II: English has created opportunities in the global job market while remaining unevenly accessible across society. — Correct. English improves employment prospects and global opportunities, but access to learning English is not equal for everyone. Consequently, it continues to reflect social privilege while also enabling upward mobility for some individuals.