By SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: The State Bank of India (SBI) has released the official notification for the recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) in the clerical cadre. This year, SBI is offering 9,124 vacancies, making it a major opportunity for graduates who are looking for a banking job.
According to the official notification, the recruitment includes 7,680 regular vacancies and 1,444 backlog vacancies. The online application process started on August 11, 2026, and eligible candidates can apply online until August 31, 2026.
Candidates who are interested in the SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 should check the eligibility criteria, vacancy details, examination pattern, application fee and selection process before submitting the application form.
SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Overview
The SBI Clerk recruitment is conducted for the post of Junior Associate in the Customer Support & Sales category. Selected candidates will work in SBI’s clerical cadre and handle various customer service and banking-related responsibilities.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | State Bank of India |
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) |
| Popular Name | SBI Clerk |
| Total Vacancies | 9,124 |
| Regular Vacancies | 7,680 |
| Backlog Vacancies | 1,444 |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Application Start Date | August 11, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | August 31, 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam | September 2026 |
| Main Exam | November 2026 |
| Job Location | State/UT applied for |
| Official Website | SBI Careers |
SBI has stated that candidates can apply for vacancies in only one State or Union Territory under this recruitment. The merit list will also be prepared on a state-wise and category-wise basis.
SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026
The recruitment drive has 9,124 vacancies in total. Out of these, 7,680 are regular vacancies, while 1,444 are backlog vacancies.
Some of the major regular vacancy figures include:
- Maharashtra/Mumbai Metro – 1,718
- Tamil Nadu – 1,410
- Odisha – 1,100
- Karnataka – 760
- West Bengal – 555
- Rajasthan – 350
- Gujarat – 330
- Chhattisgarh – 287
- Telangana – 260
- Uttar Pradesh – 250
The official vacancy table also includes category-wise reservations for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, General, PwBD and eligible ex-servicemen categories. SBI has clarified that the vacancies are provisional and may change depending on the actual requirement of the bank.
SBI Clerk Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates must satisfy the prescribed age and educational qualification requirements.
Age Limit
The candidate’s age should be between 20 and 28 years as on April 1, 2026.
Candidates must have been born between April 2, 1998 and April 1, 2006, both dates inclusive. Age relaxation is available for eligible reserved categories according to SBI rules.
The upper-age relaxation includes:
- OBC candidates – 3 years
- SC/ST candidates – 5 years
- PwBD candidates – up to 15 years depending on category
- Certain ex-servicemen categories – as per applicable rules
Candidates should check the official notification for the complete category-wise relaxation rules.
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 can also apply provisionally. However, if selected, they must provide proof of passing the graduation examination on or before December 31, 2026.
Local Language Requirement
Knowledge of the local language is an important requirement in the SBI Clerk recruitment.
Candidates applying for a particular State or UT must be able to read, write, speak and understand the specified local language of that State or UT.
For example, candidates applying for Telangana can opt for Telugu or Urdu as the specified local language. The examination medium for Telangana includes English, Hindi, Telugu and Urdu.
Candidates who have studied the specified local language in Class 10 or Class 12 and can provide the required certificate or marksheet will generally not have to appear for the separate local language test.
SBI Clerk Selection Process 2026
The SBI Clerk selection process consists of three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Local Language Proficiency Test, wherever applicable
The Preliminary Examination will be conducted online and will carry 100 marks. It will have three sections: English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability.
The Main Examination will carry 200 marks and will include General/Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude.
Importantly, the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination will not be added to the final merit list. The final merit will be based on the marks obtained in the Main Examination, subject to fulfilling the local language requirement wherever applicable.
SBI Clerk Exam Pattern 2026
Preliminary Examination
The SBI Clerk Prelims exam will have:
- English Language – 30 questions, 30 marks
- Numerical Ability – 35 questions, 35 marks
- Reasoning Ability – 35 questions, 35 marks
- Total – 100 questions and 100 marks
- Duration – 1 hour
Each section will have a separate time limit of 20 minutes.
There will be a negative marking of one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question for every wrong answer. SBI has not prescribed minimum qualifying marks for individual sections or for the overall Preliminary Examination.
Main Examination
The SBI Clerk Mains examination will consist of:
- General/Financial Awareness – 50 questions, 50 marks
- General English – 40 questions, 40 marks
- Quantitative Aptitude – 50 questions, 50 marks
- Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude – 50 questions, 60 marks
The total paper will have 190 questions for 200 marks, with a total duration of 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Negative marking will also apply in the Main Examination. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
SBI Clerk Salary 2026
SBI offers an attractive salary package to Junior Associates. The official pay scale is ₹24,050 to ₹64,480.
The starting basic pay is ₹26,730, which includes two advance increments available to graduates. SBI states that the total starting emoluments for a newly recruited clerical cadre employee posted in a metropolitan city such as Mumbai can be around ₹46,000 per month, including applicable Dearness Allowance and other allowances. The actual amount can vary depending on the place of posting and applicable benefits.
Selected Junior Associates will also be eligible for benefits such as provident fund, pension under the applicable New Pension Scheme, medical benefits, leave-fare benefits and other facilities as per SBI rules.
SBI Clerk Application Fee 2026
The application fee depends on the candidate’s category.
- General/OBC/EWS: ₹750
- SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS: No fee
The application fee is non-refundable. Candidates must complete the online payment process while submitting their application.
How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026
Eligible candidates can apply online by following these steps:
- Visit the official SBI careers website.
- Open the current openings section.
- Select Recruitment of Junior Associates 2026.
- Register using the required personal and contact details.
- Enter educational and other information carefully.
- Upload the required photograph, signature, thumb impression and handwritten declaration.
- Check all details before final submission.
- Pay the applicable application fee online.
- Submit the application form.
- Download and save the completed application form and payment receipt.
SBI has advised candidates to submit their applications well before the closing date to avoid technical issues caused by heavy website traffic. Once the application is finally submitted, changes or corrections are generally not permitted.
SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Important Dates
The online registration process began on August 11, 2026, and the last date to submit the application and pay the fee is August 31, 2026.
The Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, while the Main Examination is tentatively scheduled for November 2026. Candidates should regularly check the official SBI website for call letters, examination schedules and further updates.
Conclusion
The SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 is a significant opportunity for graduates who want to build a career in the banking sector. With 9,124 total vacancies, state-wise recruitment, a graduate-level eligibility requirement and an attractive salary package, the recruitment is expected to attract a large number of applicants.
Candidates who have not yet applied should complete the online registration process before the August 31, 2026 deadline. Applicants should also begin preparing for the Preliminary and Main examinations while keeping the local language requirement in mind.
For the latest updates, candidates should rely on the official SBI recruitment portal and the detailed notification rather than unofficial sources.
