The public sector banks will offer over 63,000 jobs, including hiring of officers as well as clerical staff during the current financial year.

After the review meeting of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram with heads of public sector banks and financial institutions said, "There are huge job opportunities for young men and women in banks. It's a very attractive career, and young men and women must take advantages of it".

All public sector banks, as on September 30, had total vacancy of 84, 489 combining officers, clerks and sub-staff. And of this, the banks are planning to hire recruit 63,200 during the current fiscal. The total workforce as on March end 2012 was 8, 01,509 including nationalized banks, SBI and its associate banks.

Mr. Chidambaram also mentioned that State Bank of India had plans to recruit 1200 officers and around 20000 clerks by the end of this financial year. As on September-end the total vacancies in SBI and its five associate banks was 28.979.

A senior official of Finance Ministry said that the government has tried to simplify the recruitment process in consultation of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection and public sector banks. At present, there are common eligibility criteria and interview for all the aspirants for the public sector banks and one time application fees.

The government has also suggested the banks to carry on the recruitment drive in each cadre at least once a year. The applications have been invited for the clerical cadre by IBPS for an examination scheduled next month.