SBI Hiring 2026-27: The State Bank of India (SBI) is preparing for another major expansion of its workforce and branch network during the current financial year. The public-sector banking giant plans to recruit approximately 11,000 to 12,000 employees in FY 2026-27, while also considering the addition of as many as 250 new branches across the country.
The proposed hiring is expected to cover both clerical and officer-level positions. However, the final recruitment number could change depending on employee retirements and the bank's evolving operational requirements.
The expansion plan could be significant for candidates preparing for banking jobs, although the information relates to SBI's overall hiring intention and should not be confused with a specific recruitment notification or an announcement of 12,000 immediately available vacancies.
SBI May Recruit Around 12,000 Employees in FY27
According to the report, SBI Chairman C. S. Setty said in an interaction that the bank expects to recruit between 11,000 and 12,000 people during the ongoing financial year.
These appointments are expected to include employees at the clerk and officer levels.
The exact number may increase or decrease depending on factors such as retirements and emerging manpower requirements. However, the bank expects total recruitment to reach approximately 12,000 by the end of FY 2026-27.
For banking job aspirants, the plan indicates that SBI could continue to provide significant employment opportunities during the financial year.
However, candidates should keep in mind that a recruitment plan does not automatically mean all positions will be advertised together. Separate notifications may be issued depending on SBI's requirements.
SBI Hired More Than 25,000 People Last Financial Year
SBI had undertaken much larger recruitment during FY 2025-26.
According to figures cited from the bank's annual report, SBI recruited a total of 25,633 employees during the previous financial year.
The hiring included:
- 4,640 employees at the officer level
- 19,340 employees at the associate level
- 1,653 contractual employees
The bank's total workforce had crossed 2.45 lakh employees by March 2026.
The previous year's recruitment also included around 1,500 specialist Information Technology officers. The source says SBI does not expect to require IT recruitment on the same scale during the current financial year.
This means the composition of SBI's FY27 hiring could differ considerably from the recruitment conducted during the previous year.
Why SBI Is Planning to Hire More Employees
Large banks constantly need to adjust staffing levels as employees retire, business requirements change and new branches or services are introduced.
SBI's planned recruitment of around 11,000 to 12,000 employees is therefore linked to both replacement requirements and emerging manpower needs.
The actual number of appointments will depend on how these factors develop during the financial year.
For candidates preparing for SBI recruitment examinations, this makes official notifications particularly important. Details such as the number of vacancies, eligibility criteria, age limit, application dates, examination pattern and selection procedure will only become clear when SBI releases recruitment notices for specific posts.
SBI Plans 200 to 250 New Branches
Recruitment is not the only area where SBI is looking to expand.
Despite already having an extensive physical banking network, the lender believes there is still room to increase its presence in several parts of India.
According to the source, SBI plans to open approximately 200 to 250 new branches during FY 2026-27.
The bank is particularly looking at locations where new residential colonies are being developed as well as districts witnessing stronger commercial activity.
Opening new branches could allow SBI to strengthen its presence in growing residential and business centres while serving customers who continue to depend on physical banking services.
The branch expansion plan also provides useful context for the proposed workforce increase, as a larger physical network creates additional staffing and operational requirements.
What SBI's Hiring Plan Means for Banking Job Aspirants
The prospect of SBI recruiting up to 12,000 employees is likely to attract considerable attention from candidates preparing for government and public-sector banking jobs.
However, job seekers should distinguish between a planned workforce addition and an official vacancy notification.
The reported figure represents the bank's expected recruitment during the entire financial year. It does not mean applications are currently open for all 12,000 positions.
Candidates should therefore rely on official SBI recruitment notifications for confirmed vacancy numbers, qualifications, category-wise reservations, application deadlines, fees and examination schedules.
Until such notifications are released, the 11,000-12,000 figure should be treated as SBI's broader FY27 hiring plan.
SBI Group May Also Sell Part of Its NSE Stake
Apart from recruitment and branch expansion, the report also discusses SBI's plans concerning its holding in the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
According to the source, SBI and its subsidiary SBI Capital Markets are considering selling a combined stake of around 1% in NSE as part of the exchange's proposed IPO.
The report says SBI could sell approximately 0.65%, while SBI Capital Markets could divest around 0.35%.
However, if other shareholders also sell stakes, the SBI Group's eventual sale could be less than 1%.
At present, according to the figures cited in the source, SBI holds a 3.23% stake in NSE, while SBI Capital Markets holds 4.33%.
The source further reports that NSE is preparing for an IPO of around ₹30,000 crore and says it received approval from capital-market regulator SEBI in the previous week. The proposed issue could become one of India's biggest public offerings if it proceeds at the reported size.
SBI Expansion Could Create Fresh Opportunities in FY27
SBI's plans for FY 2026-27 point to continued investment in both employees and physical banking infrastructure.
With 11,000 to 12,000 planned hires and 200 to 250 proposed new branches, the country's largest public-sector bank by scale is preparing to strengthen its operations across multiple locations.
The development is especially relevant for banking job aspirants, but candidates should wait for individual SBI recruitment notifications before treating the projected hiring figure as confirmed vacancies.
For now, the bank's stated intention suggests that FY27 could bring several recruitment opportunities across clerical and officer-level roles as SBI adjusts its workforce for retirements, new business requirements and branch expansion.
