The commercial banking system is crucial to India’s economy as it helps in mobilizing deposits and allocating the monetary resources to the most useful economic sectors [1], [2]. In light of extensive asset quality reviews, the introduction of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and the restructuring of public sector banks, the assessment of the performance of banks offers the practical evidence of stability and recovery after the pandemic [2]. The current research compares the two largest public sector banks in India – State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank during the four-year period ranging from FY 2021/22 to FY 2024/25 [10], [11]. The study evaluates 16 financial indicators from banks’ annual audited financial statements and has evaluated their operating models, annual growth trends, profitability, solvency, and efficiency [1]. The results show that the State Bank of India functions like a consistent compounder, achieving steady capital accumulation, significant operating margins, and relatively low debt-to-equity ratio [6], [8]. At the same time, Punjab National Bank has demonstrated the recovery trend that can be characterized with low initial profitability, fast growth of profits due to better provision policy, large debtto-equity ratio, and rapid operating efficiency improvements.

Gaurav Omprakash Walde, Prof. Ketaki Kukde, "A Comparative Study of the Financial Performance and Growth of State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) During FY 2021–22 to FY 2024–25" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V9(5): Page(1541-1547) September - October 2026. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.