[2][3] Rai was born on 1 November 1955, to a Bhumihar Brahmin family, and raised in Parsa, Ghazipur district.
[2][4] Rai had served as Head of the Department of Biochemistry, and Dean of School of Life Sciences at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
He was a member of the Education Reform Commission for the Government of Mizoram and has served as member of Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) and Scientific Advisory Committee to the cabinet (SAC-C), Government of India.
He joined the office of the Director of National Assessment and Accreditation Council on 20 June 2013.
[2][5] Before he could complete his five-year tenure he left the post on 21 April 2015, and returned to NEHU.