SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: 1538 Vacancies, Apply Online, Eligibility, Exam Pattern & Salary

How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026

SBI Clerk Exam Apply Online 2026  Link (Active)

State Bank of India (SBI) has released the official notification for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) under a special recruitment drive for backlog vacancies. A total of 1,538 vacancies have been announced. The online application process started on 7 August 2026 and eligible candidates can submit their applications up to 27 August 2026.

This recruitment is particularly important because the 1,538 vacancies are being filled under a Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies. Therefore, candidates should carefully check their category eligibility before applying. The recruitment is being conducted by the State Bank of India for its clerical cadre.

Candidates who have completed graduation and meet the prescribed age and category requirements can apply online. The selection process includes the Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Local Language Proficiency Test, wherever applicable.

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Overview

The official notification states that candidates can apply for vacancies in only one State/UT under this recruitment and must be proficient in the specified local language of the State/UT selected by them.

SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026

SBI has announced 1,538 Junior Associate vacancies under this special recruitment drive. These vacancies are distributed among SC, ST and OBC categories across different States and Union Territories.

The category-wise total vacancy distribution is:

The vacancies are provisional and SBI may change them depending on the actual requirement of the Bank.

Some of the vacancies are available in states such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and other notified States/UTs.

Candidates should check the vacancy table in the official notification before selecting their State/UT because the vacancy distribution and applicable category vary from state to state.

Important Dates for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026

The application process has already started. Candidates should complete their applications before the closing date rather than waiting until the final day.

According to the official notification, online registration and payment of fees will remain open from 7 August 2026 to 27 August 2026. The Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, while the Main Examination is expected in October/November 2026.

SBI Clerk Eligibility Criteria 2026

Before submitting the application form, candidates should carefully check the eligibility criteria.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government.

Candidates who are currently studying in the final year or final semester of graduation may also apply provisionally. However, if selected provisionally, they must provide proof of passing their graduation examination on or before 31 December 2026.

Therefore, candidates from BA, B.Com, B.Sc., BBA, BCA, B.Tech and other recognised graduation programmes can be eligible, provided they meet all other requirements mentioned in the notification.

Age Limit

The prescribed age limit is 20 to 28 years as on 1 April 2026.

Candidates must have been born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006, both dates inclusive.

Age relaxation is available for eligible reserved categories as per SBI rules. For example, the notification provides 5 years relaxation for SC/ST candidates and 3 years for OBC candidates, subject to the conditions mentioned in the official notification.

Who Can Apply for SBI Clerk 2026?

An important point candidates should understand is that this particular notification is not a general-category recruitment drive. It has been issued specifically for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies.

OBC candidates must belong to the Non-Creamy Layer to claim OBC reservation. The notification also specifies requirements regarding the OBC certificate. SC/ST candidates will need to provide the required caste certificate during document verification/joining as applicable.

Candidates should therefore check their category documents carefully before submitting the application.

SBI Clerk Selection Process 2026

The SBI Clerk selection process consists of three major stages:

1. Preliminary Examination
2. Main Examination
3. Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT), wherever applicable

The Preliminary Examination is qualifying in nature. Marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not added to the final merit list. The final merit is prepared based on performance in the Main Examination, subject to qualifying the required local language test.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The Preliminary Examination will be conducted online for 100 marks with a total duration of one hour.

Each section has a separate time limit of 20 minutes.

There will be negative marking in the objective tests. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every incorrect answer. SBI has not prescribed minimum qualifying marks for individual sections or the aggregate in the Preliminary Examination.

Candidates should focus on speed and accuracy because the examination provides only 20 minutes for each section.

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Candidates shortlisted from the Preliminary Examination will appear for the Main Examination.

The Main Examination consists of 190 questions for 200 marks, with a total duration of 2 hours 40 minutes.

There is also negative marking in the Main Examination, with one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question deducted for an incorrect answer. SBI will determine the minimum aggregate qualifying marks, while no separate minimum qualifying marks are prescribed for individual subjects.

Local Language Proficiency Test

The Local Language Proficiency Test is an important part of the recruitment process.

Candidates applying for a particular State/UT must be proficient in the specified local language of that State/UT. The candidate should be able to read, write, speak and understand the opted local language.

However, candidates who have studied the specified local language in Class 10th or 12th and can provide the relevant marksheet/certificate will not be required to appear for the language test.

Candidates who have not studied the specified language will have to qualify the Local Language Proficiency Test after qualifying the Main Examination and before joining SBI. Failure to qualify the language test will result in non-selection.

SBI Clerk Salary 2026

SBI Clerk offers an attractive salary package along with various allowances and benefits.

According to the official notification, the pay scale is:

₹24,050 – 1,340/3 – 28,070 – 1,650/3 – 33,020 – 2,000/4 – 41,020 – 2,340/7 – 57,400 – 4,400/1 – 61,800 – 2,680/1 – 64,480.

For graduates, the starting Basic Pay is ₹26,730, which includes two advance increments applicable to graduates. The total starting emoluments at a metropolitan centre such as Mumbai are around ₹46,000 per month, including applicable allowances at the prevailing rates. Actual emoluments may vary depending on the place of posting.

Apart from salary, Junior Associates may receive benefits such as provident fund, pension under the New Pension Scheme, medical benefits, leave-fare benefits and other facilities according to SBI rules.

SBI Clerk Application Fee 2026

The application fee depends on the category.

The application fee/intimation charges are non-refundable.

How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026?

Eligible candidates can apply online through the SBI official recruitment website.

Step 1:

Visit the SBI official website and go to the Careers/Current Openings section.

Step 2:

Find the notification for Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026.

Step 3:

Click on the online application link and complete the registration process.

Step 4:

Enter personal information, educational qualification, category details and other required information carefully.

Step 5:

Select only one State/UT for which you want to apply.

Step 6:

Upload the required photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration according to the prescribed specifications.

Step 7:

Pay the applicable application fee through the available online payment methods.

Step 8:

Submit the application form and download/save the final application form and payment receipt for future reference.

SBI advises candidates not to wait until the last date because technical problems or heavy website traffic can cause difficulties in submitting the application.

Documents Required for SBI Clerk Application

Candidates should keep the necessary documents and scanned files ready before starting the online application. These generally include:

• Recent passport-size photograph
• Signature
• Left thumb impression
• Handwritten declaration
• Graduation marksheet/certificate
• Category certificate, wherever applicable
• OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate, where applicable
• Valid identity proof
• Other documents required according to the candidate’s category

Candidates should ensure that the information entered in the online application exactly matches their official documents.

SBI Clerk Exam Preparation Tips

Candidates preparing for SBI Clerk 2026 should begin preparation immediately because the Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026.

For the Preliminary Examination, candidates should focus on Reasoning, Numerical Ability and English Language. Daily practice of mock tests can help improve speed and accuracy.

For Numerical Ability, important areas include simplification, approximation, number series, percentage, profit and loss, average, ratio, time and work, time and distance, data interpretation and arithmetic questions.

For Reasoning Ability, candidates should practise puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, inequality, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense and miscellaneous reasoning questions.

For English, candidates should work on reading comprehension, error detection, cloze tests, sentence rearrangement, fillers, vocabulary and grammar.

For the Main Examination, candidates should additionally give significant attention to General/Financial Awareness, because it carries 50 marks. Candidates should regularly study banking awareness, financial news, current affairs and important economic developments.

Important Points Candidates Should Remember

There are several important conditions in this recruitment that candidates should not ignore.

First, this is a Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies and not a regular open-category SBI Clerk notification. Second, candidates can apply for only one State/UT. Third, candidates must meet the local language requirement for the State/UT selected by them.

Candidates should also remember that the Preliminary Examination marks will not be counted towards the final merit list. The Main Examination marks are used for preparing the merit list, subject to fulfilling the local language requirement wherever applicable.

Conclusion

The SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 is an important banking job opportunity for eligible candidates seeking a Junior Associate position in the State Bank of India. A total of 1,538 vacancies have been announced under the special backlog recruitment drive, and the online application process will continue until 27 August 2026.

Candidates should carefully check their category, age, educational qualification, State/UT preference and local language eligibility before applying. The minimum educational qualification is graduation, while the prescribed age limit is 20 to 28 years as on 1 April 2026, with applicable relaxations for eligible categories.

The selection process includes Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Local Language Proficiency Test, wherever required. Since the Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, candidates should start focused preparation without waiting for the examination date to be announced.

Important: The 1,538 vacancies in this notification are specifically backlog vacancies for SC/ST/OBC categories. Candidates should read the official SBI notification carefully before submitting the application.

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