India’s public sector banks (PSBs) are set to recruit approximately 50000 individuals during the current financial year to support growing operations and expansion. Out of this total, around 21000 positions will be for officers, while the remaining posts will include clerks and other staff roles.
This recruitment drive reflects the increasing demand for skilled personnel in banking, especially in customer service and specialised functions.
SBI to Recruit the Highest Number
State Bank of India (SBI), the largest public sector lender, will lead the hiring wave with close to 20000 new employees planned for FY25. SBI has already completed the recruitment of 505 Probationary Officers (POs) and 13455 junior associates across 35 states and Union Territories.
The bank currently employs 236226 individuals, including 115066 officers. SBI maintains an attrition rate below 2 percent, citing strong engagement and welfare practices.
Other PSBs Join In
Punjab National Bank (PNB), India’s second-largest PSB, plans to increase its workforce by 5500 this year. As of March 2025, PNB had a staff strength of 102746. Central Bank of India is also preparing to bring in around 4000 new employees to strengthen its operations and meet customer demand.
These numbers suggest a broad-based push for workforce expansion across the public sector banking ecosystem.
Finance Ministry’s Monetisation Push
In parallel, the Finance Ministry has advised PSBs to look at monetising their investments in subsidiaries and joint ventures by listing them on stock exchanges. There are around 15 such entities under review for potential IPOs or divestment in the medium to long term.
Sources say that before monetisation, banks must focus on improving governance, decision-making, and operational efficiency in their subsidiaries.
Where needed, banks have been encouraged to invest in scaling up these units, positioning them for better valuation when listing.
Conclusion
This large-scale recruitment effort signals a renewed focus on capacity building within PSBs. With the Finance Ministry backing monetisation plans and banks aiming for operational scale, FY25 could bring significant transformation in public sector banking—both in terms of human resources and strategic value creation.
