SBP Jobs 2026: SBOTS 29th Batch Status, Pay & Test Guide

Short answer: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) recruits most of its entry-level officers through the State Bank Officers Training Scheme (SBOTS). Applications for the 29th Batch, for Assistant Director (OG-2) posts in Karachi, closed on 14 September 2026. As of 20 October 2026, SBP's vacancies page shows the drive as "Application submission is closed" and no written test date has been published. Shortlisted applicants will hear from the testing agency by SMS and admit card. Trainees are paid a stipend of Rs 41,000 a month, and those who pass training start on a monetised salary of Rs 82,000 a month plus OG-2 allowances.

This guide covers how SBP hires, who qualifies, what the job pays, how the selection stages work, and how to get ready now, whether you applied for the 29th Batch or plan to apply next time.

SBP jobs at a glance (SBOTS 29th Batch)

Employer: State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank
Post: Assistant Director (OG-2) under the State Bank Officers Training Scheme, 29th Batch
Duty station: Karachi (the residential training is held in Islamabad)
Education: 16 years of education with at least 60% marks, or a CGPA of at least 2.5/4.0 or 3.5/5.0, from an HEC-recognised institution in an accepted subject
Upper age limit: 26 years as of 30 August 2026, with 3 years' relaxation for some groups (see below)
Test fee: none
Stipend during training: Rs 41,000 per month
Starting pay after training: Rs 82,000 per month (monetised), plus OG-2 allowances and benefits under Bank rules
Application deadline: 14 September 2026 (closed)
Current status (20 October 2026): applications closed. No test date announced on SBP's site.

How the State Bank of Pakistan hires

SBP recruits in two main ways. Knowing which one fits you saves time.

Batch hiring (training schemes): large annual or near-annual intakes of young graduates who train first and then join at officer level. These are the routes most fresh graduates should watch.
Lateral and contract hiring: department-specific openings for experienced people, such as IT, payments, legal and communications roles. A recent example is an IT Operations Department contract drive that closed on 12 October 2026.

The main training schemes

SBOTS (State Bank Officers Training Scheme): the general entry route to Assistant Director (OG-2). The 29th Batch covers monetary policy, macroeconomic research and data, financial markets and FX reserve management, banking policy and supervision, Islamic finance, financial inclusion, digital financial services, and support functions such as IT, finance and risk, internal audit, external communications, strategic planning and HR.
EATS (Economic Analysts Training Scheme): a narrower route for economists. Economic Analysts (OG-2) work in monetary policy, economic policy review or research. The 7th Batch also closed on 14 September 2026, with the same Rs 41,000 stipend and Rs 82,000 starting salary.
SOTS (Statistical Officers Training Scheme): for statistics and data graduates. The 9th Batch closed on 22 December 2025, and SBP's status page lists it as "candidates called for further process".

Eligibility for SBOTS: degree, marks and age

Education

You need a bachelor's, master's or equivalent degree totalling 16 years of education, with at least 60% marks (or 2.5 out of 4.0 or 3.5 out of 5.0 CGPA), from an HEC-recognised Pakistani or foreign institution. The 29th Batch advertisement accepted degrees in:

Business Administration, Public Administration, Commerce, Accounting, Finance
Economics, Statistics, Data Sciences, Actuarial Sciences, Mathematics, Physics
Computer Sciences, Information Systems and Technology
Human Resource Management, Islamic Banking & Finance, Law
Media & Culture Studies, Philosophy
Agriculture Management (a BSc or MSc in Agriculture itself is not accepted)

A foreign degree needs an HEC equivalence certificate. Accepted subjects can change between batches, so check each new advertisement.

Age

Maximum age is 26 years on the cut-off date (30 August 2026 for the 29th Batch), taken from your CNIC.
A 3-year relaxation applies to female and transgender candidates, religious minorities, and candidates from Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the former FATA areas.
Citizens from AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan are eligible to apply.

SBP Assistant Director (OG-2) salary and stipend

Training stipend: Rs 41,000 per month until you are inducted into the Bank.
Starting salary: Rs 82,000 per month (monetised) on appointment as Assistant Director (OG-2).
On top of salary: other allowances and benefits in the OG-2 scale under Bank rules. SBP does not list these in the advertisement.

OG-2 is SBP's own officer grade, not a BPS scale, so it does not compare directly with civil service pay. For the government side, see our BPS-17 salary guide.

Selection process: from application to appointment

Online application through SBP's careers portal (career.sbp.org.pk). Applications made in person or by email are not accepted. Forms missing a photograph, date of birth or other key details are not shortlisted.
Written test at designated centres, run by an external testing agency. Shortlisted candidates get an SMS, and admit cards are posted to their address and uploaded to the agency's website. There is no test fee.
Test results are uploaded by the testing agency on its own website.
Group discussion and/or psychometric testing, followed by a panel interview. Bring original educational documents, an HEC equivalence certificate (for foreign degrees), your domicile and CNIC.
Pre-induction formalities, including medical and psychological examinations and proof that your education is complete.
Residential training at the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) in Islamabad.
Appointment as Assistant Director (OG-2) in Karachi for trainees who pass.

SBP warns that anyone who gives false information, tampers with age or education documents, or tries to influence the process is disqualified from the current drive and any future SBP recruitment.

Applied for the 29th Batch? What to do now

Keep your mobile number active. Test calls come by SMS from the testing agency, so a lost SIM can cost you a seat.
Check your postal address. Admit cards are posted as well as published online.
Watch SBP's status page. SBP updates each drive's status (for example, "Written test conducted" or "Candidates called for further process") on its vacancies page.
Start preparing now. SBP does not publish a syllabus for this batch, so treat the test as general aptitude. Work on English, quantitative and analytical reasoning, and the basics of Pakistan's economy and banking: what the central bank does, inflation, the policy rate and exchange rates. Read recent SBP monetary policy statements to learn the vocabulary.
Prepare for the group discussion and interview. Practise explaining a current economic issue in two minutes, and have a clear answer to "why SBP?". Our guide to answering "Tell me about yourself" will help.
Organise your documents: degree and transcripts, CNIC, domicile and, for foreign degrees, the HEC equivalence certificate.

Missed it? How to be ready for the next batch

Protect your grades. The 60% / 2.5 CGPA minimum is a hard cut-off.
Mind the age limit. At 26 (29 with relaxation), many graduates get only one or two attempts. Apply to the first batch you qualify for.
Check SBP's careers pages regularly. The 29th Batch was advertised in late August with a deadline in mid-September, a window of about two weeks.
Keep a ready CV. Use our CV format guide for Pakistan or the free Jobsiz resume builder.
Apply widely in the meantime. Commercial banks, DFIs and finance teams hire all year. Browse latest jobs in Pakistan and business analyst jobs in Pakistan.

Beware of fake SBP job adverts

SBP charges no fee for the SBOTS written test. Anyone asking you to pay for a "confirmed seat" is a scammer.
SBP applications are made only on its official careers portal, not through WhatsApp groups, agents or third-party forms.
Confirm any advert on sbp.org.pk/careers before you share personal details. For queries, SBP lists the email Recruitment@sbp.org.pk.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SBP SBOTS 29th Batch still open?

No. Online applications closed on 14 September 2026. As of 20 October 2026, SBP lists the drive as closed and has not posted a written test date.

What is the salary of an SBP Assistant Director (OG-2)?

The 29th Batch advertisement gives a monthly monetised salary of Rs 82,000 on appointment, plus allowances and benefits in the OG-2 scale. During training, candidates get a stipend of Rs 41,000 a month.

What is the age limit for State Bank of Pakistan jobs under SBOTS?

For the 29th Batch, the maximum was 26 years as of 30 August 2026. Female and transgender candidates, minorities, and applicants from Balochistan, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and the former FATA areas get a 3-year relaxation.

Is there a fee for the SBP written test?

No. SBP states that no fee is required for the pre-induction written test.

Where will SBOTS trainees be trained and posted?

Training is residential at NIBAF in Islamabad. Trainees who qualify are appointed as Assistant Directors at SBP in Karachi.

Sources

Last updated: 20 October 2026. Recruitment details can change. Always confirm dates and eligibility on SBP's official careers page before you act.

State Bank of Pakistan Jobs 2026: SBOTS 29th Batch Guide