State Bank of India (SBI) is planning a major expansion of its workforce and branch network during FY27, with the country's largest lender targeting around 12,000 new recruitments and up to 250 new branches. SBI Chairman C S Setty shared the plans in a recent interaction with PTI.
According to Setty, SBI expects to appoint approximately 11,000 to 12,000 employees across its clerical and officer cadres during the current financial year. The final number could change depending on employee retirements and the bank's operational requirements.
SBI Recruitment 2026-27: 12,000 Jobs Expected
The planned recruitment will primarily strengthen SBI's officer and clerical workforce. Setty indicated that the bank does not expect to repeat last year's large-scale hiring of specialist IT officers, when around 1,500 specialist IT officers were recruited.
SBI had made 25,633 appointments during FY26, including 4,640 officers, 19,340 associates and 1,653 contractual employees, according to its annual report. As of March 2026, the bank had more than 2.45 lakh employees.
For job seekers, the announcement is significant as SBI regularly recruits for positions including Junior Associates and Probationary Officers, besides specialist and other professional roles. SBI's official careers portal currently lists multiple FY27 recruitment opportunities.
The bank's 2026 Junior Associate recruitment notification, for example, invited applications for clerical-cadre Customer Support and Sales positions.
250 New SBI Branches Planned
Alongside recruitment, SBI intends to expand its physical banking presence by adding around 200 to 250 branches during FY27. The expansion is aimed at strengthening the bank's presence in areas where there is potential for additional banking services and customer growth.
The branch expansion will complement SBI's existing nationwide network and help the lender improve access to banking services in emerging residential and commercially active locations.
SBI Focuses on Growth and Customer Service
The recruitment and branch expansion plans form part of SBI's broader strategy to support business growth and strengthen customer service. Increasing frontline staffing is particularly important as the bank balances its extensive physical network with growing digital banking usage.
For aspiring banking candidates, the planned recruitment drive could create thousands of opportunities during FY27. However, applicants should wait for official SBI notifications for details regarding vacancies, eligibility, examination dates and application procedures. SBI has also warned candidates about fake recruitment websites and appointment letters, making it important to rely only on the bank's official careers portal.
With approximately 12,000 planned recruitments and up to 250 new branches, SBI's FY27 expansion could provide a significant boost to employment and banking infrastructure across India.
