SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Applications Open for 1,538 Junior Associate Vacancies

MUMBAI, August 10, 2026

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: The State Bank of India has opened applications for 1,538 Junior Associate posts under a special recruitment drive to fill backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes candidates.

The vacancies are for the position of Junior Associate—Customer Support and Sales—in SBI’s clerical cadre. Eligible Indian citizens can submit their applications online through the bank’s careers website until August 27, 2026.

Online registration and fee payment began on August 7. The preliminary examination is tentatively scheduled for September, while the main examination is expected to be conducted in October or November 2026.

The recruitment is governed by Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16. Candidates should read the official SBI recruitment notification before submitting an application.

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Key Details

Category-Wise SBI Junior Associate Vacancies

Of the 1,538 vacancies announced by SBI, 1,219 are reserved for ST candidates, 207 for SC candidates and 112 for OBC candidates.

The OBC vacancies are available only to candidates belonging to the non-creamy layer. OBC candidates in the creamy layer are not eligible under this recruitment drive.

No General or EWS vacancies are listed in this special backlog recruitment notification. PwBD and eligible ex-servicemen candidates may apply under their respective parent categories, subject to the conditions in the notification.

SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026: State-Wise Distribution

Candidates can apply for vacancies in only one state or Union Territory and can appear only once under this recruitment project.

The merit list will be prepared separately for each state and category. Successful candidates will ordinarily be posted in the state for which they applied. The notification does not provide for inter-state or inter-circle transfers for Junior Associates recruited through this drive.

SBI has stated that the vacancy figures are provisional and may change according to the bank’s actual staffing requirements.

SBI Clerk Educational Qualification

Applicants must hold a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university or possess an equivalent qualification recognized by the central government.

Candidates holding an Integrated Dual Degree certificate must ensure that their passing date is on or before December 31, 2026.

Students in the final year or final semester of graduation can also apply provisionally. If selected, they must produce evidence showing that they passed their graduation examination on or before December 31, 2026.

The date shown on the university-issued marksheet, certificate or provisional certificate will generally be treated as the date of passing.

Matriculate ex-servicemen possessing the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education—or a corresponding Navy or Air Force certificate—may also be eligible if they completed at least 15 years of service and meet the notification’s other conditions.

SBI Clerk Age Limit

Candidates must be at least 20 years old and not more than 28 years old as of April 1, 2026.

Applicants must have been born between April 2, 1998 and April 1, 2006, with both dates included.

Upper-Age Relaxation

Cumulative age relaxation will not be available by combining multiple relaxation categories. Candidates claiming an exemption must submit the required supporting certificates.

SBI Clerk Selection Process

The selection procedure has three principal stages:

1. Online preliminary examination
2. Online main examination
3. Local Language Proficiency Test, where applicable

Preliminary Examination Pattern

Each section has a separate time limit. A penalty equal to one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer.

SBI has not prescribed separate sectional or aggregate qualifying marks for the preliminary examination. Candidates will be shortlisted according to their aggregate scores, with approximately 10 times the number of vacancies expected to be called for the main examination, subject to availability.

Preliminary examination marks will not be added to the final merit score.

Main Examination Pattern

The main examination will also carry a one-fourth-mark penalty for incorrect answers.

Final state-wise and category-wise merit lists will be prepared using aggregate main-examination marks. Candidates must obtain the minimum aggregate score decided by SBI.

Local Language Test Requirement

Candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and understanding the specified local language selected for the state or Union Territory to which they apply.

Applicants who produce a Class 10 or Class 12 marksheet or certificate proving that they studied the selected local language will not have to take the language test.

Other provisionally selected candidates must pass the Local Language Proficiency Test before joining. A candidate who fails the language test will not receive an appointment.

SBI Clerk Salary and Benefits

The official 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

The starting basic pay for a graduate Junior Associate is ₹26,730, consisting of ₹24,050 plus two advance increments available to graduates.

The total starting monthly emoluments at a metropolitan center such as Mumbai will be approximately ₹46,000, including dearness allowance and other applicable allowances at current rates.

Actual monthly compensation will vary depending on the place of posting and applicable allowances. Selected candidates may also receive provident fund benefits, medical facilities, leave-fare benefits, reimbursement of approved perquisites and pension coverage under the defined-contribution New Pension Scheme.

Newly appointed Junior Associates will undergo a minimum probation period of six months.

SBI Clerk Application Fee

The fee is nonrefundable. OBC candidates must pay online using a debit card, credit card or internet banking. Any payment-gateway transaction charges will be borne by the applicant.

How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026

Candidates must apply online; no offline applications will be accepted.

1. Visit the official SBI Careers current-openings page.
2. Locate “Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026.”
3. Download and read Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16.
4. Open the online application form and complete the registration process using an active email address and mobile number.
5. Enter the requested personal, educational, category and state-preference information.
6. Upload the required photograph, signature, left-thumb impression and handwritten declaration in the specified format.
7. Pay the application fee online, where applicable.
8. Review all information before final submission. Changes will not be allowed after the application is finally submitted.
9. Download the completed application and payment receipt for future reference. The printed form should not be sent to SBI.

Applicants experiencing registration or payment problems may contact SBI’s recruitment helpdesk at 022-22820427 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on bank working days.

Important Instructions for Applicants

• Apply for only one state or Union Territory.
• Select the local language carefully during registration.
• Confirm that the required caste or non-creamy-layer certificate is valid.
• OBC applicants must possess the prescribed Government of India non-creamy-layer certificate issued on or after April 1, 2026 and valid at the required stage.
• Keep the registered mobile number and email address active until the recruitment process concludes.
• Retain multiple copies of the photograph uploaded with the application because matching copies will be required during the examinations.
• Use only the official SBI website for the application and recruitment updates.