The lender on an average adds around 13,000 to its clerical staff every year. But after a slowdown in the past few years with only 5,635 hired in FY15 and none hired in FY16, it is planning to hire 17,000 this year.
Government has given one-year extension to SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya amid the lender's consolidation with its associate banks.
The merger will cut out overlaps with six treasuries being bundled off into one and provide scope for branch rationalisation, said Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman of SBI after bank's board gave in-principle approval to merge Bhartiya Mahila Bank and five associates with itself.