The Finance Ministry has introduced significant changes to the recruitment system for SBI, nationalised banks, and RRBs, bringing a new structured sequence for exams and results. The move aims to reduce attrition and stabilise workforce planning across public sector banks. According to officials, the revised system will ensure that SBI results are declared first, followed by the nationalised banks, and finally RRBs. This marks a major shift from the previous structure, where RRB results were announced first.
New SBI-First Result Sequence to Reduce Attrition
The Ministry’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) conducted an analysis of hiring trends across SBI, public sector banks and RRBs. It found a recurring pattern: candidates often joined RRBs first, later shifted to nationalised banks, and eventually moved to SBI when a more favourable opportunity appeared. This cycle created frequent vacancies, operational delays, and unpredictable staffing patterns. The revised result structure aims to allow candidates to make better-informed choices. With SBI results released first, candidates can confirm their eligibility for the top preference before deciding on other options. The Ministry reported that this sequence will help reduce repeated withdrawals, unnecessary training costs, and the attrition chain previously observed.
Updated Recruitment Order for SBI, Nationalised Banks & RRBs
Before detailing the new structure, here is an overview of how the result order will now function. The change applies first to officer-level posts, followed by clerical-level exams. Result Declaration Order (Revised)
- SBI results
- Nationalised bank results
- RRB results
According to the DFS, this systematic approach increases transparency and ensures a logical decision-making order for candidates targeting multiple bank exams.
Revised Exam Timeline for SBI, Public Banks & RRBs
Earlier, the recruitment cycle began with RRB exams, followed by nationalised banks, and last SBI. The new process reverses this timeline. Under the updated order:
- SBI exams and results will be conducted first
- Nationalised bank exams will follow
- RRB exams and results will be announced last
This allows candidates to explore the highest-preference opportunity first, reducing unnecessary movement between posts.
Benefits for Candidates and Banks
The Finance Ministry expects the reforms to bring multiple advantages, including:
- Better workforce planning across public sector banks
- Lower attrition due to streamlined preference selection
- Faster vacancy closure
- Reduced operational disruptions
- Higher transparency in the decision-making process
Officials stated that the revised system will strengthen long-term staffing predictability and contribute to a more stable recruitment environment.
