Sanjoy Gorh Published: August 8, 2026
The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) to fill 1,538 SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies. The online application process will run from August 7 to August 27, 2026. Eligible Indian citizens can apply for vacancies in one State/UT only, subject to the prescribed local-language requirement. The preliminary examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, followed by the Main Examination in October/November 2026.
This recruitment is particularly important for graduates looking for a clerical banking job because the selection process includes a Preliminary Exam, Main Exam and, where applicable, a Local Language Proficiency Test. Candidates should carefully check their eligibility and state-wise vacancy before submitting the application.
SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Key Details
SBI has advertised the recruitment under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16.
The major details are:
- Post: Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)
- Cadre: Clerical
- Total Vacancies: 1,538
- Application Start Date: August 7, 2026
- Last Date to Apply: August 27, 2026
- Preliminary Exam: September 2026, tentatively
- Main Exam: October/November 2026, tentatively
- Educational Qualification: Graduation in any discipline
- Age Limit: 20 to 28 years as on April 1, 2026
- Application Fee: ₹750 for OBC candidates; Nil for SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates
The vacancies are provisional and may change depending on the actual requirement of the Bank.
SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026
The notification contains 1,538 backlog vacancies, including:
- SC: 207
- ST: 1,219
- OBC: 112
- Total: 1,538
The vacancy distribution is state-wise and category-wise. Candidates can apply for vacancies in only one State/UT.
Assam SBI Clerk Vacancy
For Assam, SBI has notified 39 vacancies under the Guwahati Circle. The specified local languages are Assamese, Bengali and Bodo.
The Assam vacancies are:
- ST: 39
- Total: 39
The notification also lists Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar and Tezpur among the tentative examination centres in Assam.
SBI Clerk Eligibility 2026
Age Limit
Candidates must be at least 20 years old and not more than 28 years old as on April 1, 2026.
According to the notification, candidates must have been born between April 2, 1998, and April 1, 2006, both dates inclusive.
Age relaxation is available for eligible categories, including:
- OBC: 3 years
- SC/ST: 5 years
- PwBD candidates: as specified by category
- Ex-Servicemen: as per applicable rules
- Certain widows, divorced women and judicially separated women: 7 years, subject to the prescribed maximum age
- Eligible trained SBI Apprentices: category-wise relaxation as mentioned in the notification
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 appearing in the final year or semester of graduation can also apply provisionally, but if selected, they must produce proof of passing graduation on or before December 31, 2026.
SBI Clerk Selection Process
The selection process has three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Local Language Proficiency Test, where applicable
The Preliminary Exam marks are not added to the final merit list. Final merit is based on the aggregate marks obtained in the Main Examination, subject to other selection requirements.
SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Examination will carry 100 marks and will have a total duration of one hour.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
There will be negative marking. One-fourth of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each wrong answer.
SBI Clerk Main Exam Pattern
The Main Examination will have 190 questions for 200 marks with a total duration of 2 hours and 40 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 min |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 min |
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 min |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 hr 40 min |
Negative marking will also apply in the Main Examination.
SBI Clerk Local Language Test
Candidates who qualify for selection but have not studied the specified local language in Class 10 or 12 will have to appear for the Local Language Proficiency Test.
Candidates who can produce a Class 10 or 12 marksheet or certificate showing that they studied the specified local language will not have to take this language test.
Failing the required language test means the candidate will not be offered appointment.
SBI Clerk Salary 2026
The SBI Junior Associate pay scale mentioned in the notification 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.
The starting Basic Pay is ₹26,730, which includes two advance increments available to graduates.
SBI states that total starting emoluments at a metro location such as Mumbai will be around ₹46,000 per month, including applicable DA, allowances and the two additional increments for newly recruited graduate Junior Associates. Actual allowances can vary depending on the posting location.
SBI Clerk Application Form 2026
Candidates have to apply online through SBI’s official careers website. No other mode of application is accepted.
Before applying, candidates should keep the required documents and scanned images ready, including:
- Recent passport-style photograph
- Signature
- Left thumb impression
- Handwritten declaration
- Valid email ID
- Active mobile number
The notification says candidates should carefully check the application before final submission because corrections will not be allowed after final submission.
Application Fee
The prescribed fee is:
- SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS: Nil
- OBC: ₹750
The fee and intimation charges are non-refundable.
What Candidates Should Check Before Applying
Candidates should not wait until the final day to submit the application. SBI specifically advises applicants to apply well before the closing date because heavy website or internet traffic can create problems.
Applicants should also remember that they can submit only one application for this recruitment. Multiple applications can lead to cancellation, with only the last valid completed application being retained according to the notification.
For candidates from Assam, checking the local-language requirement is especially important because the Guwahati Circle vacancies specify Assamese, Bengali or Bodo as the local languages.
What Happens Next?
The Preliminary Examination is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, while the Main Examination is tentatively planned for October/November 2026. Candidates should regularly check SBI’s official careers portal for call letters, examination schedules, changes and other recruitment announcements.
SBI also states that further announcements and details related to this recruitment will be published through its authorised website.
Final Takeaway
The SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 gives eligible candidates an opportunity to compete for 1,538 backlog Junior Associate vacancies across multiple States and UTs. With applications open from August 7 to August 27, 2026, candidates should first confirm their age, graduation qualification, category and local-language eligibility before applying.
For Assam candidates, the notification includes 39 vacancies under the Guwahati Circle, making the recruitment particularly relevant for eligible applicants in the state.