Ajit Kumar Seth was in the 1974 Indian Administration Service (IAS) cohort and is a member of the Uttar Pradesh Cadre. He gained his B.Sc (Hons.) and M.Sc. in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi and also M. Phil in Life Sciences from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He subsequently obtained a Master’s Degree in Development Finance from the University of Birmingham. Ajit Kumar Seth has served in different capacities in the Government of India as well as in the States. For 5 years he was Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Earlier in the 1980s Ajit Kumar Seth served in the Ministry of Commerce and he served for over 3 years as First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations at Geneva, Switzerland.
While in the state in Uttar Pradesh, Ajit Kumar Seth served as Principal Secretary (Rural Development), Principal Secretary (Vigilance) and Secretary (Home and Confidential) besides stints in Industries and Cooperatives Departments. He also served as Divisional Commissioner of Kumaon Division in Nainital and District Magistrate of Mainpuri and Lucknow districts.