The wait is over for banking aspirants. State Bank of India has opened the SBI PO 2026 Recruitment under Advertisement No. CRPD/PO/2026-27/09, with 1,500 Probationary Officer vacancies up for grabs. Online registration runs from 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026, so the clock is already ticking.

If you have been preparing for a banking career, this is the notification you have been waiting for. Below is everything you need — vacancies, eligibility, the exam pattern, salary and the application process — drawn straight from the official advertisement. No guesswork, just the facts.

SBI PO 2026 Recruitment: Quick Overview

State Bank of India invites online applications from eligible Indian citizens for appointment as Probationary Officers. Selected candidates may be posted anywhere in India, and applications are accepted only through the Bank's official career portal: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings

Here are the headline details at a glance:

•        Post: Probationary Officer (PO)

•        Advertisement No.: CRPD/PO/2026-27/09

•        Total vacancies: 1,500

•        Online registration & fee payment: 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026

•        Application fee: ₹750 for UR/EWS/OBC; Nil for SC/ST/PwBD

•        Grade: Junior Management Grade Scale-I (JMGS-I)

Vacancy Breakdown

The 1,500 vacancies are split across categories, combining regular and backlog vacancies. The category-wise distribution is as follows:

Within this total, horizontal reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) covers 15 Visually Impaired (VI), 16 Hearing Impaired (HI), 14 Locomotor Disability (LD) and 16 under the 'd & e' categories.

The Bank has noted that these vacancies are provisional and may vary depending on its actual requirement.

Eligibility Criteria

Before you apply, make sure you tick both the age and qualification boxes.

Age Limit

As on 1 April 2026, candidates must be not below 21 years and not above 30 years. In other words, you must have been born no later than 1 April 2005 and no earlier than 2 April 1996 (both dates inclusive).

Upper age relaxation applies as follows:

•        OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years

•        SC/ST: 5 years

•        PwBD (UR/EWS): 10 years

•        PwBD (OBC): 13 years

•        PwBD (SC/ST): 15 years

•        Ex-servicemen and Commissioned Officers (including ECOs/SSCOs) who have rendered five years of military service: 5 years

Note that cumulative age relaxation is not available, either under these items or in combination with any other.

Educational Qualification

You need a graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government, as on 30 September 2026. Candidates in the final year or semester of graduation may also apply provisionally, but if called for interview they must produce proof of having passed by 30 September 2026.

Those holding professional qualifications such as Medical, Engineering, Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant are also eligible.

Application Fee

The application fee is non-refundable and depends on your category:

•        ₹750 for Unreserved, EWS and OBC candidates

•        Nil for SC, ST and PwBD candidates

Once paid, the fee will not be refunded under any circumstances, nor held in reserve for any other selection.

SBI PO 2026 Selection Process

Selection for Probationary Officers happens through a three-phase process: a Preliminary Examination, a Main Examination, and finally a Psychometric Test combined with a Group Exercise and Interview.

Phase I: Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination is an online objective test for 100 marks, with separate timing for each section:

There is no sectional cut-off in the Preliminary Examination. Candidates numbering roughly 10 times the vacancies in each category will be shortlisted for the Main Examination.

Phase II: Main Examination

The Main Examination carries 200 marks for the Objective Test and 30 marks for the Descriptive Test. The objective paper runs for three hours across four sections, each separately timed:

The Descriptive Test on Communication Skills lasts 30 minutes and is administered immediately after the objective test, with candidates typing their answers on the computer. It covers Emails (1 of 2 options), Situation Analysis (1 of 2 options), and either Report Writing or Précis Writing (1 of 2 options). The grand total comes to 230 marks over 3 hours and 30 minutes.

A sectional cut-off applies in the Main Examination — you must score a minimum qualifying mark in each test, including the descriptive paper.

Phase III: Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Interview

Shortlisted candidates sit a Psychometric Test for personality profiling, the findings of which are placed before the interview panel. The Group Exercise carries 20 marks and the Interview 30 marks, for a total of 50 marks.

How the Final Merit List Works

The marks from the Main Examination (both objective and descriptive) are added to the Phase III marks. Phase I (Preliminary) marks are not counted in the final merit list. The combined 280 marks (230 from Main plus 50 from Phase III) are normalised to 100 — 75 for the Main Examination and 25 for the Group Exercise and Interview.

A word of caution on negative marking: for every wrong answer in the objective tests of both Preliminary and Main exams, one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question is deducted. Questions left blank carry no penalty.

Salary and Career Path

The financial package is one of the biggest draws. The starting basic pay is ₹48,480 (plus four advance increments) in the pay scale of 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920 applicable to Junior Management Grade Scale-I.

On top of basic pay, officers are eligible for DA, HRA, CCA, PF, the Contributory Pension Fund (NPS), LFC, medical facility, lease rental and other allowances. The approximate CTC at the initial scale of pay at Mumbai is ₹21.97 lakh.

At joining, selected candidates execute a bond of ₹2.00 lakh to serve the Bank for a minimum of three years, and they remain on probation for two years. The Bank also offers strong growth prospects, including opportunities for postings abroad.

SBI PO 2026 Exam Schedule

Here is the tentative timeline so you can plan your preparation:

•        Online registration: 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026

•        Preliminary Exam call letters: 2nd/3rd week of July 2026 onwards

•        Phase I – Preliminary Examination: August 2026

•        Phase II – Main Examination: September 2026

•        Phase III – Psychometric Test, Group Exercise & Interview: October/November 2026

•        Final result: November/December 2026

Pre-Examination Training for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates is scheduled for July 2026.

How to Apply for SBI PO 2026

Applications are accepted online only, from 18 June 2026 to 8 July 2026. No other mode will be accepted. Here is the broad process:

1.     Keep a valid email ID and mobile number active until results are declared.

2.     Scan your photograph, signature, left-hand thumb impression and hand-written declaration as per the specifications in the notification.

3.     Visit https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings and open the online application form under 'Current Openings'.

4.     Register, note down the provisional registration number and password, and fill in your details carefully.

5.     Capture and upload a live photograph through a webcam or mobile phone during registration.

6.     Pay the fee online via debit card, credit card, internet banking or UPI.

7.     On successful payment, print the e-receipt and application form for your records.

Apply well before the closing date to avoid last-minute technical glitches caused by heavy website traffic. For any difficulty with the form or fee payment, the helpdesk is reachable at 022-22820427 (11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on working days) or via http://cgrs.ibps.in.

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Final Word

The SBI PO 2026 Recruitment is a genuine chance to build a career with India's most trusted bank — 1,500 vacancies, a clear three-phase selection process, and an attractive package waiting at the other end. The application window is short, closing on 8 July 2026, so register early and start preparing today.

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