He graduated from the University of Malaya in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.
Norian joined the Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent on 8 November 1969.
On 1 April 1994, he transferred to Bukit Aman to become Director of Special Branch.
Norian Mai became the Deputy Inspector-General of Police on 6 May 1997 who replaced Samsuri Arshad.
[2] In 2019, Norian sat in the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Wang Kelian along with seven other members as deputy to Chairman Arifin Zakaria.