SRINAGAR: The State Bank of India (SBI) has invited online applications for the recruitment of 2,600 Circle Based Officers (CBOs) for the 2025–26 recruitment cycle. The application window opens on May 9 and closes on May 29, 2025. The initiative spans multiple circles across the country, including a specific allotment of 80 vacancies under the Chandigarh circle, which covers Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.
The recruitment notification, released on the official SBI careers portal, outlines circle-wise vacancies, eligibility criteria, reservation policies, fee structures, and the four-stage selection process comprising an online examination, screening, interview, and local language proficiency test. Tentative dates for the online examination and call letter issuance have been fixed for July 2025.
The vacancies are distributed across 16 circles, with Karnataka (250), Maharashtra (250), and Uttar Pradesh (280, under Lucknow circle) among the top contributors. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Chandigarh circle offers 80 regular posts, including 12 for SC, 6 for ST, 21 for OBC, 8 for EWS, and 33 for the General category. Additionally, one backlog vacancy exists for OBC candidates, and four posts are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
Applicants must be graduates from recognised universities and have at least two years of experience as an officer in any Scheduled Commercial Bank or Regional Rural Bank as on April 30, 2025. Candidates must be between 21 and 30 years of age, with age relaxation available for reserved categories, ex-servicemen, and persons with disabilities.
SBI has reiterated that candidates must be proficient in the local language of the circle they apply to. For the Chandigarh circle, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in Urdu, Hindi, or Punjabi. Those without a 10th or 12th class certificate in the relevant language must pass a language test before joining.
Selected candidates will be posted in the circle they apply for and will not be eligible for inter-circle transfers until they are promoted to SMGS-IV grade or complete 12 years of service.
The application fee is Rs 750 for General, OBC (non-creamy layer), and EWS candidates. SC, ST, and PwBD candidates are exempt from paying any fee. The starting basic pay for CBOs is Rs 48,480, with in-hand salary estimated between Rs 50,000 and Rs 52,000, including allowances.
Applicants currently working in government or public sector organisations must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) at the time of interview. OBC (NCL) candidates must produce a non-creamy layer certificate issued between April 1, 2025, and the interview date. EWS candidates must produce a valid Income and Asset Certificate for the financial year 2024–25, applicable for 2025–26.
Candidates with any record of default in loan or credit card payments or adverse CIBIL reports are disqualified unless they regularise their financial standing prior to joining.
SBI has also clarified that only one application per candidate will be accepted, and any candidate who has worked in officer grade with SBI or its associate banks, or is currently employed in any of its subsidiaries, is ineligible to apply.
Interested candidates are advised to visit the SBI careers portal regularly for updates, as no separate intimation will be issued regarding changes to the recruitment process.
