- An SBI manager's Form 16 showed an annual gross salary of Rs 35.24 lakh, sparking debate
- The gross salary includes one-time benefits like Leave Fare Concession and leave encashment
- Monthly income is lower due to tax, NPS, EPF deductions and loan repayments
An SBI manager's Form 16 showing an annual gross salary of Rs 35.24 lakh has gone viral on social media, triggering a debate over how government bank salaries are perceived and the difference between gross pay and actual take-home income. The viral post on X claimed the employee joined the State Bank of India as a Probationary Officer (PO) eight years ago and has since been promoted to the position of Scale 3 Manager. According to the Form 16 for FY 2025-26 shared in the post, the manager's gross annual salary stood at Rs 35,24,315.88, leaving many users surprised by the figure.
However, the person who shared the document explained that the amount shown in the Form 16 does not reflect the employee's regular monthly earnings. They said the gross salary includes one-time or occasional payments such as Leave Fare Concession (LFC) encashment and leave encashment, which significantly inflate the annual total.
"At first glance, the figure looks huge But the reality is quite different. The gross salary includes LFC Encashment and Leave Encashment, which are one time benefits received only once every four years, not part of the regular monthly salary," the post read.
See the post here:
The post also pointed out that the manager's monthly income is further reduced by deductions including income tax, National Pension System (NPS) contributions, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), and repayments for a home loan, car loan and two-wheeler loan. As a result, the amount credited to the employee's bank account each month is considerably lower than the gross annual salary shown in the tax document.
The post quickly gained traction online, with many users saying it highlighted the common misconception that gross salary is the same as take-home pay. One user wrote, 'Agreed, 35 lakh gross looks great but includes 4 yearly encashments. After tax, NPS, PF & loans, monthly take home is far lower. Common myth about bank officers' settled life."
Another said, "Looking only at Form 16 without considering taxes, deductions, one-time benefits, and loan repayments can create a misleading picture. It's better to judge earnings by the actual monthly take-home and overall responsibilities, not just the headline number."
Others argued that an annual package of more than Rs 35 lakh remains a strong salary, irrespective of deductions. "People talking about salary, please remember basic salary is 11-12LPA. That itself puts him in probably top 10% of the salary and with other benefits he gets assured 25LPA per year," commented a third.
The discussion comes at a time when SBI has announced plans to recruit 1,500 new Probationary Officers as part of its business expansion efforts. Of the total posts, 1,446 are regular vacancies and 54 are backlog vacancies, according to an SBI recruitment notice. The last date to apply is July 8. SBI expects to complete the entire recruitment process by December. To be eligible, candidates must be graduates in any discipline and must be at least 21 years old as of April 1, 2026.
