SBI to add 12,000 staff, 250 branches in FY27 expansion drive

State Bank of India will recruit approximately 12,000 personnel and establish around 250 new branches during FY27, according to Chairman C S Setty. The hiring will span both clerical and officer cadres, though the exact figure may fluctuate based on retirements and operational needs, Setty said in an interaction.

The recruitment drive represents a more moderate approach compared to the previous financial year, when SBI undertook substantial hiring including 1,500 specialist information technology officers. "This year, we do not need such a large number on the IT side," Setty noted, indicating a normalisation of recruitment patterns following last year's technology-focused expansion.

SBI, India's largest employer in the banking sector, currently maintains a workforce exceeding 2.45 lakh employees as of March 2026. In FY26, the bank hired 4,640 officers, 19,340 associates, and 1,653 contractual staff, bringing total annual recruitment to 25,633 positions. The planned branch expansion forms part of SBI's broader strategy to deepen its market penetration and enhance service accessibility across the country.