State Bank of India is set to recruit 1,500 probationary officers this year to fuel business expansion, with applications closing on July 8. According to reports from The Economic Times, The Hindu BusinessLine, and NDTV, of the total recruitment, 1,446 are regular vacancies and the remaining 54 are backlog vacancies. The bank expects to complete the entire recruitment process by December 2026. As per The Hindu BusinessLine, this recruitment drive is part of SBI's strategy to drive business growth and maintain its position as one of the largest recruiters in the banking sector.
SBI has demonstrated exceptional employee retention with an annual attrition rate of below 1% (0.97% in 2025-26), among the lowest in the industry, according to the bank's latest annual report. The bank's total expenditure towards hiring was ₹75.87 crore in 2025-26, with 25,633 hires including retired officials. The per vacancy expenses were ₹29,597 compared to ₹40,441 in FY25, reflecting improved cost efficiency in recruitment processes.
SBI maintains strong gender diversity with women constituting 28.54% of the total domestic workforce, as reported in the bank's annual report. Women hold 24% representation at managerial levels (officers in junior, middle and senior management till the grade of Assistant General Manager) and 8.55% in senior leadership (top executive grades). With a workforce comprising over 2,45,000 people, SBI continues to be one of the largest recruiters in the banking sector while focusing on generating meaningful employment aligned with emerging business, technological and customer expectations.
As reported by The Economic Times, The Hindu BusinessLine, and NDTV, the eligibility criteria requires applicants to be graduates in any discipline with a minimum age of 21 years as of April 1, 2026. The bank also onboards professionals through lateral recruitment from diverse backgrounds, including IT professionals and domain experts, appointed as Specialist Officers across key functions such as data centres, information technology, risk management, legal, treasury, compliance and data analytics. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, these roles are appointed based on the evolving and multidisciplinary nature of banking, ensuring the workforce remains aligned with emerging business requirements.
The SBI PO recruitment for 2026 follows a comprehensive three-phase selection process. The Preliminary Examination is scheduled for August 2026, followed by the Main Examination in September 2026. The final selection includes a Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Personal Interview in October/November 2026. The exam pattern includes Reasoning & Computer Aptitude (40 marks, 60 minutes), Data Analysis & Interpretation (30 marks, 60 minutes), and General Awareness, Economy & Banking Knowledge (60 marks, 45 minutes). Candidates must complete the registration process and upload required documents including passport-size photograph, signature, left-hand thumb impression, and educational certificates before the July 8, 2026 deadline.
The SBI PO recruitment offers attractive compensation with a basic salary starting from ₹48,480 and an annual CTC of approximately ₹21.97 lakh in Mumbai. The salary structure progresses through increments, reaching a maximum basic pay of ₹85,920 after seven annual increments. Beyond the basic salary, officers receive leased housing, medical insurance, and travel allowances. The Smart Compensation package allows officers to customize their pay structure based on personal needs. General candidates can apply for SBI PO six times while others can apply till nine recruitment cycles, subject to age limits.
