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His father, Khan Bahadur Kabiruddin Ahmed, was a Deputy Magistrate in Bengal and a forward looking man. His grandfather was earlier awarded the title of Khan Bahadur by the British government.

He came first, with star marks, in his matriculation examination in 1922. He was educated at Presidency College, Calcutta, completing his Intermediate in Arts (I.A.) in English with first class third, and Calcutta University, where he completed his B.A. (Honours) and M.A. in English with first class first. He won a scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford where he completed his degree in 'Modern Greats', i.e. Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics with a first class in 1931.

In 1932, he was invited by Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan to join as a lecturer at the newly established Andhra University. Later, he was a Joint Education Adviser, Education Secretary and then Chairman of the University Grants Commission in Delhi. He was the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Education Minister of India twice, under the Prime Ministerships of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was also Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs Minister. In 1965, Indira Gandhi (How could she have done it as she was only Information & Broadcasting minister?) offered him the Madras Governor's post, which he declined. In 1956 he was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha, and from 1957-1969 he was a member of the Lok Sabha. He was instrumental in dislodging the Congress government in West Bengal and forming the United Front government in 1969.

Kabir was the editor of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's biography India Wins Freedom. Maulana Azad dictated his biography to him in Urdu, which Kabir translated in English.

He was one of the co-drafter of the UNESCO 1950 statement titled The Race Question.

His daughter Leila Kabir was married to Indian politician George Fernandes. His nephew Altamas Kabir is presently a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.