Banking · Government Exams

SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) 2026 Notification, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Salary and Free Mock Tests

SBI Clerk recruits Junior Associates for customer support and sales roles in State Bank branches. Like IBPS Clerk it has no interview, so the main examination decides selection outright — but unlike IBPS Clerk it is conducted by the bank directly, and its papers carry the same slightly less predictable framing that characterises SBI recruitment generally.

It also has a requirement that catches candidates out: proficiency in the official language of the state or circle applied for, tested separately where the candidate has not studied that language at school.

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SBI Clerk · checked 19 September 2026

SBI Clerk at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

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19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

SBI Clerk: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Advertisement 11 August 2026; registration 11–31 August; prelims tentatively September 2026; mains to follow

    2026 cycle

  2. 02

    State Bank of India, Central Recruitment and Promotion Department — advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17, with a special backlog drive…

    Conducted by

  3. 03

    Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales), the clerical cadre, state-wise

    Post

  4. 04

    7,680 regular and 287 backlog under the main advertisement, plus 1,538 SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies under the special drive

    Vacancies

Notification

SBI Clerk notification and key dates

Checked 15 September 2026 on the SBI careers page. The advertisement for the recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support and Sales), CRPD/CR/2026-27/17, opened registration from 11 to 31 August 2026 with 7,680 regular and 287 backlog vacancies, state- and category-wise; a separate special recruitment drive for SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies, CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16, ran registration from 7 to 27 August 2026 for 1,538 posts. Both advertisements place the preliminary examination tentatively in September 2026, and the preliminary information handout and call letters for the special drive were published in early September. The main examination date and the language test follow; in the 2025 cycle the main examination was held on 21 November 2025 and the final result on 27 February 2026.

Key dates of SBI Clerk 2026 (Junior Associates), from the two advertisements and the careers page.
EventDate
Special drive advertisement (SC/ST/OBC backlog)Registration 7–27 August 2026
Main advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17Registration and fee payment 11–31 August 2026
Phase I preliminary examinationTentatively September 2026; special-drive call letters issued in early September
Phase II main examinationTo be notified; 21 November in the 2025 cycle
Local language test and final resultTo be notified; final result on 27 February in the 2025 cycle
Vacancies under CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 by circle (regular), from the advertisement. Candidates apply for one state or UT and are examined there.
CircleRegular vacanciesCircleRegular vacancies
Maharashtra (Maharashtra circle operational areas)1,718Jaipur (Rajasthan)350
Chennai (Tamil Nadu)1,410Gandhinagar (Gujarat)330
Bhubaneswar (Odisha)1,100Hyderabad (Telangana)260
Bengaluru (Karnataka)760Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)250
Kolkata (West Bengal and others)555Bhopal, Chandigarh, Mumbai Metro, Guwahati and the restSmaller counts
Total regular7,680Backlog (SC 58, ST 161, OBC 68)287
What the post pays, from the advertisement.
ItemDetail
Pay scaleClerical: ₹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
Starting basic₹26,730 — ₹24,050 plus two advance increments admissible to graduates
Starting emolumentsAbout ₹46,000 a month at a metro such as Mumbai, inclusive of DA and other allowances at current rates; varies with the place of posting
BenefitsProvident fund, NPS pension, medical, leave fare concession and the other perquisites of the clerical cadre

What the 2026 advertisement confirms

The preliminary paper is 30 English, 35 Numerical Ability and 35 Reasoning questions on 20-minute timers with no sectional or aggregate minimum; the main examination is 190 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours 40 minutes with only an aggregate cut-off; there is no interview; and the local language test is taken after the mains by candidates who did not study the language in class 10 or 12. Vacancies are net of the special drive, which is a separate application.

Overview

What SBI Clerk is, and who it suits

The Junior Associate recruitment fills clerical positions across the State Bank’s circles — customer service, account operations, cash handling and sales support at branch level. Candidates apply against a particular state or circle, and both vacancies and cutoffs are determined at that level.

Selection rests entirely on the main examination, since there is no interview. That gives the exam the same character as IBPS Clerk — accuracy and consistency over brilliance — while the question framing tends to follow the SBI house style, which is a little less template-driven than the IBPS equivalent.

Three things to settle before applying

  • The state or circle you apply against — it determines the vacancies you compete for and the cutoff you must clear.
  • Language proficiency — candidates who have not studied the state’s official language at school may be required to demonstrate proficiency in a separate test.
  • Whether you also intend to sit IBPS Clerk — the syllabi overlap almost entirely, so preparing for both together is efficient — the calendars rarely clash.

The local language test is a real filter

Where it applies, failing to demonstrate proficiency in the official language of the state applied for can end an otherwise successful candidacy. If you are applying to a state whose language you did not study, find out what form the requirement takes in the current advertisement well before the application closes.

Eligibility

Who can apply for SBI Clerk

Eligibility is judged as on the dates in the advertisement and verified with originals before joining. The two conditions that catch candidates are the single state and its language: you apply for one state or UT, sit the examination there and must be proficient in the specified local language listed against it.

Qualification

  • Degree — A graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government, as on 31 December 2026. Final-year students may apply provisionally and must produce proof of passing by 31 December 2026 if selected; integrated dual degree holders must show the IDD passing date on or before that date.
  • Local language — Proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and understanding the specified local language of the state or UT applied for. A class 10 or 12 mark sheet showing the language exempts you from the test; otherwise the bank tests it after the main examination.
Age 20–28 years as on 1 April 2026 — born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006 — with these relaxations of the upper limit.
CategoryRelaxation
SC and ST5 years
OBC (non-creamy layer)3 years
Persons with benchmark disabilities10 years (General/EWS), 13 years (OBC), 15 years (SC/ST)
Ex-servicemen and disabled ex-servicemenActual period of defence service plus 3 years (8 years for disabled ESM of SC/ST), up to 50 years
Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated who have not remarriedUp to 35 years (38 for OBC, 40 for SC/ST)
Trained apprentices of SBI engaged on or after 1 January 2022 with one year’s branch experience by 31 August 2026As specified in the advertisement

Other conditions

  • Fee — ₹750 for General, OBC and EWS candidates; nil for SC, ST, PwBD, ex-servicemen and disabled ex-servicemen; online only, non-refundable.
  • One state, one attempt — You may apply for the vacancies of one state or UT only and may appear once under this recruitment; multiple applications are rejected.
  • Special drive — The SC, ST and OBC backlog drive is a separate advertisement with its own registration, examination and merit list; eligible candidates may apply under both.

Selection process

How SBI Clerk selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
StageFormatWhat it involves
Phase I — preliminary examinationOnline, 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutesEnglish Language 30 questions, Numerical Ability 35 and Reasoning Ability 35, one mark each, with a separate 20-minute timer on every section. No sectional or aggregate minimum: a category-wise merit list on aggregate marks in each state shortlists about ten times the vacancies for Phase II. 0.25 deducted per wrong answer; preliminary marks are then discarded.
Phase II — main examinationOnline, 190 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 40 minutesGeneral and Financial Awareness 50 questions for 50 marks in 35 minutes, General English 40 for 40 in 35 minutes, Quantitative Aptitude 50 for 50 in 45 minutes, and Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude 50 for 60 in 45 minutes, each separately timed. Only an aggregate minimum applies, with 5 per cent relaxation for reserved categories; the final merit list is built from aggregate mains marks by state and category. 0.25 deducted per wrong answer.
Phase III — local language proficiency testQualifying, before joiningProvisionally selected candidates who did not study the specified local language of the state in class 10 or 12 take a language test conducted by the bank after the main examination and before joining; failing it means no appointment. There is no interview.
Provisional selection, wait list and joiningBy state and categorySelection is on Phase II marks subject to eligibility verification and the language test. A wait list of up to 50 per cent of vacancies, state- and category-wise, is kept for one year and released quarterly against non-joining and resignations. Joining follows a medical examination and document verification.

Application to appointment

How to apply for SBI Clerk 2026, what the two examinations involve, and how selection and the wait list work

The steps in the order they happen, with the fees and windows the advertisement specifies.

The SBI Clerk process, from registration to appointment

  1. Register on the SBI careers site during the window The link on sbi.co.in/web/careers/current-openings leads to the IBPS-hosted registration portal. Register with an e-mail address and mobile number that remain valid until joining, fill the form, and upload a photograph, signature, left-thumb impression and handwritten declaration to the advertisement’s size and format rules. A live photograph is captured through the webcam or phone at the time of application.
  2. Choose the centre and, for clerical posts, one state Junior Associate candidates apply against the vacancies of one state or union territory, sit the examination in that state and later prove proficiency in its specified local language. PO candidates choose preliminary and main examination centres from the list in the advertisement; no change is allowed afterwards.
  3. Pay the fee ₹750 for General, OBC and EWS candidates, paid online between 11 and 31 August 2026 (7 to 27 August for the special drive); nil for SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen. The fee is not refunded or held over.
  4. Call letters through the same portal Call letters for each phase are released on the careers page and the portal about ten days before the date, with an information handout that gives the exact section timings and sample questions. Carry the call letter with a photo identity document and the photograph pasted on it.
  5. Phase I: preliminary examination An hour-long online paper of three separately timed sections. There is no sectional cut-off; a category-wise merit list on aggregate marks shortlists about ten times the vacancies for Phase II. Preliminary marks are then discarded.
  6. Phase II: main examination A longer online paper of separately timed sections, with a descriptive test typed on the computer immediately afterwards for the PO process. Phase II marks are what the final merit rests on.
  7. Phase II result and the local language test A category-wise merit list on aggregate main examination marks is drawn for each state, subject to the aggregate minimum the bank fixes with 5 per cent relaxation for reserved categories. Provisionally selected candidates who did not study the state’s language in class 10 or 12 are called for the language test; those who fail are not appointed.
  8. Final result, wait list and joining The final result is published on the careers page with roll numbers, followed by a biodata form, document verification and a medical examination. A wait list of up to 50 per cent of vacancies is kept state- and category-wise for one year and released quarterly against non-joining and resignations, subject to the minimum qualifying marks.

The language test is not a formality

Every cycle candidates who applied for a state with many vacancies and no knowledge of its language are dropped after the main examination. If your class 10 or 12 mark sheet does not show the language, be sure you can read, write and speak it before you choose the state.

Exam pattern

SBI Clerk exam pattern and marking

The SBI Clerk exam pattern below is the scheme in the Junior Associates advertisement of August 2026. Every section is separately timed and one fourth of a question’s marks is deducted for a wrong answer in both papers. The full treatment, with the syllabus, is on the exam pattern and syllabus pages.

SBI Clerk prelims exam pattern 2026 (Phase I): 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes; 20-minute timer per section; no sectional or aggregate minimum; about ten times the vacancies shortlisted on aggregate; qualifying only.
SectionQuestionsMarksMediumTime
English Language3030English20 minutes
Numerical Ability3535English, Hindi and the state’s regional language20 minutes
Reasoning Ability3535English, Hindi and the state’s regional language20 minutes
Total10010060 minutes
SBI Clerk mains exam pattern 2026 (Phase II): 190 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 40 minutes; separately timed sections; aggregate cut-off only; the merit list is built from this paper.
SectionQuestionsMarksMediumTime
General and Financial Awareness5050English, Hindi and regional language35 minutes
General English4040English35 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude5050English, Hindi and regional language45 minutes
Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude5060English, Hindi and regional language45 minutes
Total1902002 hours 40 minutes

One fourth (0.25) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer in every objective paper; a question left blank costs nothing. There is no sectional cut-off in either paper and no interview; provisional selection is on aggregate Phase II marks within the state, followed by the local language test where it applies.

Study plan

How to prepare for SBI Clerk

SBI Clerk is decided by a single number — the aggregate mains score within your state — with no sectional cut-off and no interview. That makes it the bank examination where playing to your strongest sections pays most: a candidate who scores 45 in Reasoning and Computer Aptitude and 40 in General and Financial Awareness can carry a modest English score. The prelims, similarly, has no sectional gate.

A four-month plan

  1. Month 1: speed foundations Simplification, approximation, series, arithmetic and DI for Quantitative Aptitude; puzzles, seating, syllogism, inequality, coding and computer aptitude basics for Reasoning; grammar, vocabulary and daily reading for English. Start a daily banking and financial awareness routine.
  2. Month 2: sections on the timer Sectional tests every day on the 20-minute prelims timers, then on the 35- and 45-minute mains timers. Keep an error log by topic.
  3. Month 3: full mocks A prelims mock every second day and a mains mock every week with 0.25 deducted per wrong answer. Begin practising the state’s language if you will face the test.
  4. Month 4: revision and the examinations Revise from notes and the error log, keep current affairs going to the mains date, and taper mocks in the final ten days.

Where the mains marks are

  • Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: 60 marks in 45 minutes — The heaviest section, at 1.2 marks a question; puzzle accuracy decides it.
  • Quantitative Aptitude: 50 marks in 45 minutes — Arithmetic and DI at speed.
  • General and Financial Awareness: 50 marks in 35 minutes — Recall — banking, economy, current affairs and static GK; the cheapest marks for a daily reader and the costliest to guess.
  • General English: 40 marks in 35 minutes — Comprehension, cloze, error spotting and rearrangement.

Sources

Official notifications and sources

Checked 15 September 2026 against the Junior Associates 2026 advertisement (CRPD/CR/2026-27/17), the special recruitment drive advertisement (CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16), the preliminary examination information handout, and the 2025 main examination result on the SBI careers page. The main examination date for 2026 had not been notified.

Official documents

SBI careers — current openings (advertisements, call letters and results) Junior Associates 2026 detailed advertisement, English (CRPD/CR/2026-27/17) Junior Associates 2026 special recruitment drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies (CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16) Preliminary examination information handout, Phase I 2026-27 Apply online — Junior Associates 2026 Junior Associates 2025 final result (27 February 2026)

Exam resources

Everything for SBI Clerk

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

SBI Clerk SyllabusSBI Clerk syllabus — numerical ability, reasoning, English, and the mains financial awareness and computer aptitude sections.SBI Clerk Exam PatternSBI Clerk exam pattern 2026 — Junior Associate prelims and mains tables with questions, marks, timing, negative marking, aggregate cut-off and language test.SBI Clerk Previous PapersSBI Clerk previous year papers — using past sets to build calculation speed and get used to SBI question framing.SBI Clerk Mock TestsSBI Clerk mock tests — sectionally timed prelims and mains practice with accuracy and consistency tracking.SBI Clerk PreparationSBI Clerk preparation strategy — calculation speed, financial awareness and a combined plan covering IBPS Clerk at the same time.SBI Clerk Study MaterialSBI Clerk study material — numerical ability, reasoning, English and financial awareness notes for the clerical cadre.

Related

More Banking preparation

All Banking examsEvery exam in this categoryPrevious-year papersPast papers with solutionsCurrent affairsDaily, weekly and monthlyExam updatesNotifications and results

Questions

SBI Clerk — FAQs

Is there a local language requirement for SBI Clerk?

Yes. Candidates apply against a particular state or circle and are generally expected to be proficient in that state’s official language. Where a candidate has not studied the language at school level, proficiency may need to be demonstrated in a separate qualifying test. Because failing it can end an otherwise successful candidacy, check what form the requirement takes in the current advertisement before the application closes.

Should I prepare for SBI Clerk and IBPS Clerk together?

Yes — the syllabi overlap almost completely and the calendars rarely clash, so one preparation covering the shared ground is far more efficient than two partial ones. The sensible refinement is to spend the fortnight before each exam on that exam’s own past papers, since SBI framing is a little less template-driven than the IBPS equivalent even though the content is the same.

Which section should I attempt first in SBI Clerk mains?

General and financial awareness. It offers fifty marks from purely recall-based questions in about thirty-five minutes, which is the best marks-per-minute rate in the paper, and nothing in it benefits from extra thinking time. Taking it quickly and confidently protects minutes for the reasoning and computer aptitude section, which carries sixty marks and genuinely rewards the time.

What is the SBI Clerk 2026 notification date and exam date?

The Junior Associates advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 opened registration from 11 to 31 August 2026, and the special drive for SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies (CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16) from 7 to 27 August 2026. The preliminary examination is tentatively in September 2026, with call letters for the special drive already issued in early September; the main examination date and the language test follow. In the 2025 cycle the main examination was on 21 November 2025 and the final result on 27 February 2026.

What is the SBI Clerk exam pattern for 2026?

Phase I prelims: 100 questions for 100 marks in 60 minutes — English 30, Numerical Ability 35 and Reasoning 35 — each on a 20-minute timer, with no sectional or aggregate minimum and about ten times the vacancies shortlisted. Phase II mains: General and Financial Awareness 50 questions for 50 marks in 35 minutes, General English 40 for 40 in 35 minutes, Quantitative Aptitude 50 for 50 in 45 minutes and Reasoning and Computer Aptitude 50 for 60 in 45 minutes — 190 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 40 minutes — with an aggregate cut-off only. No interview; a local language test follows for candidates without the language on a school certificate. Both papers deduct 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

How many vacancies are there in SBI Clerk 2026?

7,680 regular and 287 backlog vacancies under the main advertisement — Maharashtra 1,718, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) 1,410, Bhubaneswar (Odisha) 1,100, Bengaluru (Karnataka) 760, Kolkata 555, Jaipur 350, Gandhinagar 330, Hyderabad 260, Lucknow 250 and smaller counts elsewhere — plus 1,538 SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies under the separate special recruitment drive. You apply for one state or UT.

What is the SBI Clerk salary?

Junior Associates join the clerical scale of ₹24,050–64,480 at a starting basic of ₹26,730 — ₹24,050 plus two advance increments for graduates — with dearness and other allowances taking total starting emoluments to about ₹46,000 a month at a metro such as Mumbai, varying with the place of posting, plus provident fund, NPS, medical and leave fare concession.

Who is eligible for SBI Clerk 2026?

A graduate in any discipline as on 31 December 2026 — final-year students may apply provisionally — aged 20 to 28 as on 1 April 2026, born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006, with five years’ relaxation for SC and ST, three for OBC, ten to fifteen for PwBD and service plus three years for ex-servicemen. You must be proficient in the specified local language of the state you apply for. The fee is ₹750, nil for SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen.

Is there an interview in SBI Clerk?

No. Provisional selection is on aggregate main examination marks within the state, subject to the aggregate minimum, eligibility verification and the local language proficiency test for candidates who did not study the language in class 10 or 12.

Is the SBI Clerk prelims cut-off sectional?

No. The advertisement prescribes no minimum for individual tests or for the aggregate in the preliminary examination and does not maintain section-wise marks; shortlisting is on aggregate marks alone, about ten times the vacancies per category in each state. The main examination likewise has only an aggregate minimum.

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