Public Sector Banks See Staff Decline Despite Branch Expansion: Report
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In the last three years, many Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in India have been seeing a steady decline in the number of employees, even though the number of bank branches is going up.
Fewer Bank Staff, More Bank Branches
The report shared detailed data showing that several major public sector banks—such as Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, and UCO Bank—have seen a drop in their staff strength over the last three financial years.
Meanwhile, banks like State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have either maintained or slightly increased their employee numbers.
- Bank of India:
- FY23: 52,374 employees
- FY24: 50,944
- FY25: 50,564
- Canara Bank:
- FY23: 84,978
- FY24: 82,638
- FY25: 81,260
- Bank of Baroda:
- FY23: 76,513
- FY24: 74,227
- FY25: 73,742
- UCO Bank:
- FY23: 21,698
- FY24: 21,456
- FY25: 21,049
- SBI (India’s largest public sector bank):
- FY23: 235,858
- FY24: 232,596
- FY25: 236,226
- PNB:
- FY23: 102,319
- FY24: 102,349
- FY25: 102,316
Even though employee numbers have dropped or remained flat, the number of bank branches has continued to rise, especially in FY25.
Bank Unions Raise Concerns Over Staff Shortage
Several bank employee unions have raised concerns about the falling number of workers in PSBs. They have pointed out that in many branches, only two to three people are managing all the work, which is affecting customer service and putting extra pressure on existing staff.
Earlier this year, bank employees also held protests in various cities, demanding better staffing and working conditions. One senior bank official told Business Standard, “There are branches where only two people are working. In some extreme cases, we found one or two branches being managed by just three employees. This situation needs urgent attention.”
Government Steps In Amid Rising Threats to Bank Staff
At the same time, the Finance Ministry has reportedly asked state and union territory officials to ensure that bank employees are protected and that banking services run smoothly. This move came after several reports of verbal abuse, physical assaults, and threats to bank staff at different branches, which were widely shared on news platforms and social media.
