Also, entrance examinations will be realigned sequentially across the State Bank of India (SBI), 11 state-run banks and 28 regional rural banks (RRBs).
Under the proposed framework, recruitment examination cycles across these banks would be conducted sequentially. The results for SBI recruitments will be declared first, followed by those for nationalized banks and then RRBs. Within each category, officer-level recruitment results would precede clerical-level results.
IBPS serves as the principal recruitment agency for public sector banks (PSBs), with SBI having a separate hiring process. IBPS conducts four major Common Recruitment Processes (CRPs) every year: probationary officer (PO) recruitment for officer-scale positions in nationalized banks; clerk recruitment for clerical and office assistant positions; specialist officer (SO) recruitment for functions such as information technology, law, marketing, human resources and agriculture; and RRB recruitment for Officer Scale I, II and III positions as well as Office Assistants across Regional Rural Banks.
- DFS plans stricter Aadhaar checks and access to answer keys for bank exams.
- SBI, nationalised bank, RRB results to be sequenced, not released together.
- Sequencing aims to stop RRB staff quitting after nationalised bank selections.
- Reforms follow NEET scandal that exposed major competitive exam security failures.
- PSB hiring jumped 33% in FY26; SBI alone targets 18,000 new hires.
Need of the hour
The proposed changes aim to address a long-standing challenge in the sector, according to government officials. Candidates who qualify for RRB positions often join those institutions after receiving early results, but subsequently move to nationalized banks or SBI once those recruitment processes conclude. This frequently results in vacancies and operational disruptions at RRBs. Officials said the proposed sequencing is expected to help candidates make more informed career decisions while improving workforce planning across the banking system.
The proposed reforms, together with sustained hiring, are expected to make the recruitment ecosystem more efficient and transparent, one of the three people said. Candidates could benefit from clearer timelines and greater access to examination-related information, while banks may gain from improved workforce stability as they pursue expansion and business growth plans.
These examinations typically follow a prelims-main-interview format, although some RRB positions are filled through a single examination process. Together, they attract lakhs of applicants annually and constitute the primary recruitment channel for public sector banks.
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) is preparing to tighten Aadhaar-based authentication for bank recruitment exams and give candidates login access to response sheets and answer keys, according to three people familiar with the matter, as the government moves to shore up trust in public-sector hiring.
From the 2026-27 cycle, there will be a more stringent implementation of Aadhaar authentication for Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) examinations and login-based access for candidates to response sheets and answer keys for 12 state-run banks and 28 regional rural banks to enhance transparency and trust in the recruitment process, the people in the know said.
In June 2025, DFS issued a notification authorizing the IBPS to use Aadhaar authentication on a voluntary basis, for verifying the identity of candidates during examinations and recruitment processes conducted by it.
This comes in the backdrop of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) controversy, which exposed serious lapses in the conduct of examinations, result integrity, and candidate verification, triggering widespread demands for stricter safeguards across competitive examinations
The proposed overhaul comes amid a sharp increase in hiring by public sector lenders. According to official data, PSBs selected and issued offer letters to 50,552 candidates through IBPS during FY26, a 33% increase over the previous year. The recruitment drive included both officers and clerical staff to support business growth, digital transformation initiatives and customer service requirements.
SBI alone has planned to recruit around 18,000 employees during FY26, including junior associates, probationary officers, local bank officers and specialists. Other nationalized banks and RRBs account for the remaining recruitments through the IBPS process, the second person said.
Queries emailed on Thursday evening to the spokespersons of the finance ministry, DFS, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Indian Banks' Association, and 12 PSBs remained unanswered till press time.
The employee count of state-owned lenders rose 0.22% year-on-year to 757,641 as of 31 March 2025, from 756,015 in FY24. In contrast, private-sector banks recorded a 0.86% decline in employee strength, with headcount falling to 838,150 in FY25 from 845,407 in FY24, according to RBI data.