The State Bank of India (SBI) has opened applications for one of its biggest recruitment drives of the year, inviting eligible graduates to apply for 1,500 Probationary Officer (PO) positions. Candidates interested in building a career with India's largest public sector bank have only a limited time left, as the application window closes on July 8, 2026.

According to the official recruitment notification, SBI aims to complete the entire selection process by December 2026. The recruitment offers attractive salary packages, career growth opportunities, and multiple employee benefits, making it one of the most sought-after banking jobs in the country.

SBI PO Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Details

SBI has announced a total of 1,500 vacancies for the Probationary Officer post. These include:

• Regular Vacancies: 1,446
• Backlog Vacancies: 54

The recruitment is being conducted to strengthen the bank's officer workforce across various branches and offices in India.

Educational Qualification

Applicants must possess a graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government.

Candidates who are in the final year or final semester of their graduation may also be eligible, subject to fulfilling the conditions mentioned in the official notification at the time of document verification.

Age Limit

To apply for SBI PO Recruitment 2026, candidates must meet the following age criteria as of April 1, 2026:

• Minimum Age: 21 years
• Maximum Age: As specified in the official notification, with applicable age relaxation for reserved categories under government rules.

Candidates should carefully verify the eligibility conditions before submitting their applications.

SBI PO Salary and Benefits

Selected candidates will receive an attractive compensation package along with several allowances.

The initial basic pay is ₹48,480, including four advance increments.

The pay scale is:

₹48,480–2,000/7–₹62,480–2,340/2–₹67,160–2,680/7–₹85,920

Apart from the basic salary, employees will be entitled to benefits such as:

• Dearness Allowance (DA)
• House Rent Allowance (HRA)
• Medical benefits
• Pension and retirement benefits
• Other admissible allowances as per SBI rules

Including all allowances, the starting Cost to Company (CTC) at the Mumbai posting is estimated to be around ₹21.97 lakh per annum.

Category-wise Vacancy Distribution

The vacancies have been distributed across different reservation categories as follows:

Candidates should refer to the official notification for reservation rules and detailed eligibility criteria.

SBI's Large-Scale Hiring Continues

The latest recruitment reflects SBI's continued investment in expanding its workforce. According to the bank's latest annual report, 25,633 employees were recruited during the financial year 2025–26.

The hiring included:

• 4,640 Officers
• 19,340 Associate Staff
• 1,653 Contract Employees

In addition, SBI recruited 67 sportspersons during the year to strengthen its sports promotion initiatives and encourage excellence across various disciplines.

The report also highlighted that the bank's employee attrition rate continues to remain exceptionally low. During FY 2025–26, the annual resignation rate stood at approximately 0.97%, indicating strong employee retention across the organization.

Recruitment Spending Declined

SBI spent ₹75.87 crore on recruitment during FY 2025–26. Based on the total number of recruitments, the average hiring cost worked out to ₹29,597 per employee, significantly lower than the ₹40,441 recorded in the previous financial year.

The bank stated that the recruitment figures also include appointments made to replace retiring employees.

Women Workforce Continues to Grow

SBI's annual report also highlights steady progress in workplace diversity.

Women now account for 28.54% of the bank's domestic workforce. At the managerial level—including junior, middle and senior management up to the Assistant General Manager grade—women represent 24% of employees.

In the bank's top executive leadership positions, women account for 8.55% of the workforce.

Overall, SBI employs more than 245,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in India's banking sector.

Final Date to Apply

Candidates planning to appear for the SBI PO Recruitment 2026 should complete their online application well before July 8, 2026, to avoid last-minute technical issues. Interested applicants are advised to read the official notification carefully, verify their eligibility, and keep the required documents ready before submitting the application.

With an attractive salary package, long-term career growth, and the opportunity to work with India's largest public sector bank, the SBI PO examination remains one of the country's most competitive and prestigious banking recruitment opportunities.