He was a true liberal of Gladstonian Era with a strong belief in the virtues of peace, laissez faire, and self government. He took some steps towards liberalizing the administration in India. His aim was to give popular and political education to the Indians. He formulated the local self government and laid the foundations of representative institutions in India.
Reforms:
- Repeal of Vernacular press act, 1882 : Lord Ripon repealed the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 passed by Lord Lytton by Act III of 1882 and thus news papers published in vernacular languages were allowed equal freedom with the rest of the Indian Press. This action of Ripon went a long way in conciliating public opinion.
- The First Factory Act, 1881: To improve the lot of the factory workers in towns, he passed the first Factory Act in 1881.
- Establishment of Local self-government
- Lord Ripon like his predecessor, Lord Mayo was the follower of the policy of financial decentralization. Ripon divided the sources of revenue into three categories, Viz. Imperial, Provincial and Divided.
- Lord Ripon appointed an Education Commission in 1882 under the chairmanship of Sir William Hunter to review the progress of education in India, since Wood’s dispatch of 1854.
- he succeeded in enhancing the age limit from 18 to 21. For civil service examination.
