SBI CBO Recruitment 2025 – Everything You Need to Know About 2,600 Vacancies

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SBI CBO Recruitment 2025 – Everything You Need to Know About 2,600 Vacancies

The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced 2,600 vacancies for the position of Circle Based Officer (CBO) under CRPD/CBO/2025-26/03, offering a significant opportunity for banking aspirants across India to secure a stable and rewarding career in the country’s largest public sector bank (guidely.in).

This article covers all essential aspects: vacancy details, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, application timeline, selection process, salary structure, and preparation tips. It also highlights Karnataka-specific opportunities and region-specific insights.

1. What is the SBI Circle Based Officer (CBO) Role?

CBOs are junior-level officers responsible for lending, customer relationship management, and basic administrative banking tasks at SBI branches. Each CBO is assigned to a specific circle (geographical region), making the role localized and accessible.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Conducting customer visits and assessing loan eligibility
  • Credit appraisal and documentation for home, vehicle, personal, and MSME loans
  • Ensuring regulatory compliance and KYC norms
  • Liaising with credit departments and monitoring recovery
  • Representing SBI at local community and business meets

This role is ideal for graduates with at least two years of experience in Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCB) or Regional Rural Banks (RRB) (reddit.com).

2. Vacancy Breakdown & Regional Allocation

Total Vacancies:

  • 2,600 regular positions
  • 364 backlog positions
  • Total advertised: 2,964 CBO openings (ndtv.com, adda247.com)

Regional Distribution:

SBI allocates seats across circles based on need. For example:

  • Bengaluru Circle (Karnataka): 250 positions
  • Hyderabad (Telangana): 230 positions
  • Mumbai & Maharashtra Circles: 250 each
    (ndtv.com, testbook.com, bank.sbi)

Vacancy allocation is based on local staffing requirements, ensuring candidates serve within their familiar regions.

3. Eligibility Criteria

To apply, candidates must fulfil the following requirements:

Educational Qualification:

  • Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university
  • Professional degrees (B.Tech, CA, medical, MBA) are acceptable (bank.sbi, reddit.com)

Work Experience:

  • Minimum 2 years experience as an officer in an SCB or RRB after graduation (reddit.com)

Age Limits:

  • Minimum: 21 years
  • Maximum: 30 years as of April 30, 2025
  • Age relaxation applies per RBI/SBI rules for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates (reddit.com)

Language Proficiency:

  • Mandatory local language proficiency for the applied circle (reading, writing, speaking)

Other Requirements:

  • Indian citizenship or equivalent
  • Clear service record if currently employed by a bank

Ineligible Candidates:

4. Application Process & Important Dates

Online Registration:

  • Start date: May 9–12, 2025 (reopened June 21–30, 2025)
  • Last date: June 29–30, 2025 (official)
  • Apply via official portal: sbi.co.in or ibpsonline.ibps.in

Application Steps:

  1. Access Careers > Current Openings on SBI website
  2. Fill in personal/educational/work details
  3. Upload necessary documents (experience, ID, qualifications)
  4. Select exam circle and exam center
  5. Pay ₹750 (Gen/OBC/EWS); SC/ST/PWD exempt.
  6. Submit application and download PDF

Application Fee Structure:

5. Selection Process

SBI’s recruitment is a two-stage process:

Stage I: Online Objective Examination

  • Sections: English, Moral & Professional Ethics, Banking Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge
  • Type: Multiple-choice

Stage II: Interview / Screening

  • Shortlisted candidates invited to a virtual interview or local office evaluation
  • Includes local language test, banking competency, personality assessment

Final Allotment:

  • Based on combined scores (exam + interview)
  • Final merit list respects category reservations and local circle quota

6. Pay Scale & Job Benefits

Salary Structure:

Perks & Allowances:

  • Dearness Allowance (DA)
  • House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per city norms
  • City Compensatory Allowance (CCA)
  • Maintaining Fixed Allowance, medical, NPS, leave travel concessions, performance incentives

Career Growth:

  • On successful performance, eligible for promotion to Scale II officer roles
  • Access to training, lateral movement, and leadership development opportunities

7. Preparation Strategy

Study Resources:

  • Previous SBI CBO papers (2018–22)
  • General banking manuals (Quant, Reasoning, English)
  • Current banking/financial news

Exam Tips:

  • Improve speed and accuracy (especially in QA/Reasoning)
  • Revise banking terms and current affairs weekly
  • Practice local language reading/writing exercises

Mock Tests:

  • Conduct timed mocks for exam readiness
  • Analyze weaknesses and revise accordingly

Interview Guidance:

  • Prepare for banking ethics, experience summary, and local knowledge
  • Practice common HR interview questions and Kannada/Telugu fluency for local circles

8. Karnataka-Specific Circle Insights

Karnataka is a crucial target for CBO aspirants, especially in Bengaluru circle (250 vacancies) (indiatimes.com, careerpower.in).

Karnataka Focus:

  • Competitive edge needed due to urban nature of mandate
  • Strong language component in Kannada
  • Local experience will help during interview and indictment

9. Questions Candidates Ask

Question Answer
Fresh graduates eligible? No, only with 2 years officer experience (facebook.com, reddit.com)
Own ID proof required? Yes — PAN / Aadhaar during exam/interview
Transfer later possible? Typically, no — CBOs are circle-specific
Use bank coaching? Useful for ethics and interview but not mandatory
Document verification? Uploaded online; originals required during interview
Local language assessment? Mandatory reading, writing in circle language

10. Candidate Testimonials (Reddit Insight)

From Reddit on SBI CBO drive:

“SBI released 2600+ vacancies for CBO… must have 2 years experience… age 21–30… screening, online test, interview” (reddit.com)

This reflects candidate sentiment and expectations about exam structure and eligibility.

11. Preparing Your Documents

Make sure you have:

  • Degree certificate
  • Experience certificate(s)
  • Local language proficiency proof (10th/12th)
  • Photo & ID proofs
  • Category certificate (if applicable)
  • Expiry date before final result

12. Timeline: Summary

  • Notification Release: May 9, 2025 (reopened June 21)
  • Application Window: June 21–30, 2025
  • SBI CBO Exam: July 2025 (tentative) (reddit.com, careerpower.in, careerpower.in)
  • Admit Cards: 7–10 days before exam
  • Screening / Interview: July–August 2025
  • Results and Allotment: Late 2025

13. Post-Recruitment Process

  1. Offer Letter
  2. Place-based training at regional centre
  3. Branch posting where local training occurs
  4. Performance monitoring for probation

14. Final Thoughts

The SBI CBO 2025 recruitment drive for 2,600 regular + 364 backlog vacancies is a golden opportunity for professionals with bank experience.

Key takeaways:

  • Eligibility requires a graduate degree plus 2 years of SCB/RRB officer-level work
  • Selection via online exam + interview
  • Salary begins at ₹48,480 + applicable allowances
  • Language skills are crucial for Karnataka circles
  • Stay updated: check official SBI portal, prepare, apply before June 30

Official Links

If you need:

  • A PDF or English template for application
  • Help preparing for exam/ interview
  • A personalized study plan or coaching suggestions
  • Clarification about regional language requirement

Just let me know—I’m here to help you succeed.

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