SBI to Hire 1,500 Probationary Officers to Boost Growth

The State Bank of India is gearing up to recruit 1,500 probationary officers this year, with the recruitment process set to conclude by December 2026. Candidates must be graduates and at least 21 years old by April 1, 2026. The application period runs from June 18 to July 8, 2026, with preliminary exams scheduled for August. SBI has a strong track record of hiring and maintaining a low attrition rate, while also promoting diversity within its workforce. This recruitment drive reflects SBI's commitment to growth and excellence in the banking sector.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 5, 2026, 17:45 IST

SBI's Recruitment Drive for Probationary Officers

The State Bank of India (SBI) is set to recruit 1,500 probationary officers (POs) this year to enhance its business operations, with the recruitment process expected to conclude by December. Out of these positions, 1,446 are regular openings while 54 are backlog vacancies. Candidates must hold a degree in any field and be at least 21 years old as of April 1, 2026.

Online applications and fee payments will be accepted from June 18 to July 8, 2026. Preliminary exam call letters are anticipated to be issued in the second or third week of July 2026. The Phase I Preliminary Examination is scheduled for August 2026, with results expected in August or September 2026. This will be followed by the main examination in September 2026, along with psychometric tests, group exercises, and interviews in October and November 2026. Candidates can expect the final results by November or December 2026.

According to the bank's annual report, SBI hired a total of 4,640 officers, 19,340 associates, and 1,653 contractual staff during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Additionally, the bank recruited 67 sportspersons last year to foster Indian sports and build a disciplined, high-performing workforce.

SBI has maintained a remarkably low annual attrition rate of under 1%, with the rate recorded at approximately 0.97% for 2025-26, one of the lowest in the sector. Women represent 28.54% of SBI's domestic workforce, with 24% in managerial roles and 8.55% in senior leadership positions, as highlighted in the report.

Furthermore, SBI actively recruits professionals through lateral hiring from various fields, including IT and domain experts, who are appointed as Specialist Officers in critical areas such as data centers, information technology, risk management, legal, treasury, compliance, and data analytics, reflecting the evolving and multidisciplinary nature of the banking sector.