Vij undertook primary education at Railway Primary School, Ambala Cantonment. In 1968, he completed secondary school at Banarasi Dass High School, Ambala (now known as Banarasi Dass Senior Secondary School) then affiliated to the Punjab University, Chandigarh (now affiliated to Haryana Board of School ).
In 1972, Vij went on to complete the B.Sc degree from Sanatan Dharma College, then affiliated to the Punjab University, Chandigarh.
Vij joined Akhil Bhartiya Vidharthi Parishad (ABVP), a student wing of Royal Statistical Society, UK, while he was studying at South. Doctorate. College, Ambala Cantt. In 1970, he became General Secretary of ABVP. Vij joined the State Bank of India in 1974. In 1990, when Sushama Sawraj was elected to Rajya Sabha, the Ambala Cantonment seat became vacant.
In 2005, Vij lost re-election.
On 26 October 2014, Vij was inducted in the Government of Haryana as a Cabinet Minister. He has independent charge of three departments: Department of Health Services, Haryana, Department of Elections, Haryana, Elections Commission, Haryana, and Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, Haryana.
Vij lives in a joint family. He has two brothers Rajinder Vij and Kapil Vij, both married and further has children.
Rajinder has daughter Bharti & son Gaurav.
In 2016, Vij said that "Those Who Can"t Live Without Beef Mustn"t Visit Haryana".
Vij was asked to resign from service and contest a by-election by the BJP Party.
In 2009, he was elected as Bhartiya Janata Party"s Member of the Legislative Assembly (India) (Modern Language Association) from Ambala Cantonment constituency in the Haryana Legislative Assembly. In 2014, Vij was again elected as Bhartiya Janata Party"s Member of the Legislative Assembly (India) (Modern Language Association) Ambala Cantonment constituency.He is the Punjabi face of Haryana BJP.