SBI to hire 3,500 officers, aims for 30% women workforce in five years

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, is on a major recruitment drive to strengthen its workforce and enhance service delivery across its vast branch network. The bank plans to onboard around 3,500 officers this year as part of its nationwide expansion and digital transformation efforts.

In an interview with PTI, Kishore Kumar Poludasu, Deputy Managing Director (HR) and Chief Development Officer (CDO), said the bank recently inducted 505 Probationary Officers (POs) in June, and a similar number of positions are currently being filled. “The advertisement for 541 PO vacancies is already out, and we’ve received applications. The selection will follow our standard three-stage process: prelims, mains, and a psychometric test with interviews,” he explained.

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SBI has also made significant headway in hiring for specialised roles. “Around 1,300 officers have already been selected to manage IT and cybersecurity functions,” Poludasu noted.

Additionally, the report said, the bank is in the process of recruiting around 3,000 circle-based officers, with the process expected to conclude within the current financial year. Earlier this year, SBI Chairman C.S. Setty had announced plans to hire approximately 18,000 people across various categories including 13,500 clerical staff, probationary officers, and circle-based officers to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.

In the first quarter alone, SBI announced the recruitment of 13,455 junior associates and 505 POs, reinforcing its commitment to customer service excellence across India, the report said.

Beyond expansion, the bank is placing strong emphasis on gender diversity. SBI aims to increase the proportion of women in its workforce to 30% within the next five years. “Women constitute around 33% of our frontline staff, but about 27% of the overall workforce. We are working to raise that number as part of our broader diversity goals,” Poludasu said.

With a staff strength exceeding 2.4 lakh - one of the largest among Indian organisations - SBI is also focused on fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment for women. To achieve this, SBI has launched several women-centric initiatives. These include a creche allowance for working mothers, a family connect programme, and special training modules designed to help women employees transition smoothly back to work after maternity, sabbatical, or extended medical leave.

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The bank’s flagship programme, ‘Empower Her,’ aims to identify, mentor, and groom high-potential women employees for leadership positions. Through structured leadership labs and coaching sessions, the initiative seeks to build a strong pipeline of future female leaders and ensure greater representation of women in decision-making roles.