SBI Junior Associate 2026 Notification: 1,538 Clerical Vacancies, State-Wise Seats and Full Exam Pattern
State Bank of India (SBI) has released advertisement CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 for the recruitment of 1,538 Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) in the clerical cadre. Please read this line carefully before you apply, because it decides everything — this is a Special Recruitment Drive for SC, ST and OBC backlog vacancies only. There are no UR/General and no EWS vacancies in this drive. If you belong to SC, ST or OBC and hold any graduation degree, this is one of the biggest banking job openings of the year, spread across 21 States and Union Territories.
The online registration window runs from 7 August 2026 to 27 August 2026. The starting basic pay is ₹26,730 and total starting emoluments at a metro city like Mumbai come to around ₹46,000 per month. In this guide we cover the complete state-wise seat table, eligibility, age limit, fee, the full Prelims and Mains exam pattern, and a step-by-step application walkthrough. Read it end to end so nothing surprises you later, and keep GovtJobsAlert.in handy for every SBI update.
Key Highlights — SBI Clerk Junior Associate Recruitment 2026
State Bank of India is the country’s largest public sector bank, and its Central Recruitment & Promotion Department at Corporate Centre, Mumbai runs this hiring. A Junior Associate is the customer-facing backbone of a branch — handling deposits, withdrawals, account opening, passbook work and everyday customer service. It remains one of the most secure and respected entry-level bank jobs for any graduate in India.
- Post Name: Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) — clerical cadre
- Total Vacancies: 1,538 posts (all SC/ST/OBC backlog)
- Qualification: Graduation in any discipline
- Starting Basic Pay: ₹26,730 per month
- Job Location: The single State/UT you apply for
- Application Start Date: 7 August 2026
- Last Date to Apply: 27 August 2026
SBI Clerk 2026 Vacancy List: How Many Posts in Each State?
You may apply for vacancies in one State or UT only, and the merit list is drawn state-wise and category-wise. Choose carefully, because the state you pick also decides the local language you must know.
There is no provision for Inter-Circle or Inter-State Transfer for Junior Associates recruited under this project. The only exception is intra-state transfer between two Circles in the same state — Delhi Circle and Lucknow Circle within Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai Metro Circle and Maharashtra Circle within Maharashtra. Treat the state you choose as the state you will spend your career in.
| State / UT | Vacancies | Local Language |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat | 289 | Gujarati |
| Maharashtra | 165 | Marathi |
| Madhya Pradesh | 134 | Hindi |
| Jharkhand | 133 | Hindi / Santhali |
| Karnataka | 120 | Kannada |
| Odisha | 111 | Odia |
| Rajasthan | 106 | Hindi |
| Andhra Pradesh | 88 | Telugu / Urdu |
| Tamil Nadu | 65 | Tamil |
| West Bengal | 55 | Bengali / Nepali |
| Jammu & Kashmir UT | 42 | Urdu / Hindi |
| Assam | 39 | Assamese / Bengali / Bodo |
| Telangana | 32 | Telugu / Urdu |
| Uttar Pradesh | 31 | Hindi / Urdu |
| Chhattisgarh | 26 | Hindi |
| Chandigarh UT | 22 | Hindi / Punjabi |
| Tripura | 22 | Bengali / Kokborok |
| Punjab | 18 | Punjabi / Hindi |
| Delhi | 17 | Hindi |
| Bihar | 12 | Hindi / Urdu |
| Himachal Pradesh | 11 | Hindi |
| Total | 1,538 | — |
The category-wise split of these 1,538 backlog seats, as printed in the notification, is given below.
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| SC | 207 |
| ST | 1,219 |
| OBC | 112 |
| Total | 1,538 |
Important: the notification states clearly that there is no horizontal reservation for PwBD in this drive. PwBD and Ex-servicemen candidates apply under their own parent SC, ST or OBC category.
Who is Eligible for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026?
Educational Qualification
- Graduation in any discipline from a recognised University, or any equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government.
- Candidates holding an integrated dual degree (IDD) must ensure the date of passing is on or before 31 December 2026.
- Final-year and final-semester students may apply provisionally, but must produce proof of having passed graduation on or before 31 December 2026 if selected.
- The essential academic qualification is reckoned as on 31 December 2026.
- You are not eligible if you are currently working in SBI in the clerical cadre, or were earlier employed by SBI and resigned while in the clerical cadre. OBC candidates in the creamy layer cannot apply at all, and any adverse report on character, antecedents or moral turpitude also bars you.
Age Limit
You must be not below 20 years and not above 28 years as on 1 April 2026. In simple terms, you should be born not earlier than 2 April 1998 and not later than 1 April 2006 (both days inclusive).
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 15 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Service period + 3 years (max age 50) |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including SC / ST / OBC / PwBD age relaxation. →
Notice that the age cut-off (1 April 2026) and the qualification cut-off (31 December 2026) are two different dates. Many candidates confuse the two and lose their candidature at document verification.
What is the Salary for SBI Clerk Junior Associate 2026?
The pay scale printed in the notification is given below exactly as published, and it is a genuinely attractive package for a fresh graduate.
- Pay Scale: ₹24,050 – 1340/3 – 28,070 – 1650/3 – 33,020 – 2000/4 – 41,020 – 2340/7 – 57,400 – 4400/1 – 61,800 – 2680/1 – ₹64,480
- Starting Basic Pay: ₹26,730 (₹24,050 plus two advance increments admissible to graduates)
- Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and other allowances as per current rates
The notification states that the total starting emoluments of a Clerical Cadre employee payable at a Metro like Mumbai will be around ₹46,000 per month, inclusive of DA, other allowances and the two additional increments for newly recruited graduate junior associates. Allowances vary depending on the place of posting.
Beyond the monthly pay, you are eligible for reimbursement of various perquisites, provident fund, pension under the New Pension Scheme, medical benefits and leave-fare concession, as per the Bank’s instructions issued from time to time.
What is the Selection Process for SBI Clerk 2026?
Selection happens in three phases, and there is one rule here that changes your whole strategy — Prelims marks are not carried forward.
Phase 1: Preliminary Examination
An online objective test of 100 questions for 100 marks in 1 hour, with separate sectional timing: English Language (30 questions, 30 marks, 20 minutes), Numerical Ability (35 questions, 35 marks, 20 minutes) and Reasoning Ability (35 questions, 35 marks, 20 minutes). There is negative marking of one-fourth mark for each wrong answer. No minimum qualifying marks are prescribed. An adequate number of candidates in each category, as decided by the Bank — approximately 10 times the number of vacancies, subject to availability — is shortlisted for the Mains in descending order of aggregate marks.
Phase 2: Main Examination
An online objective test of 190 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours 40 minutes, again with sectional timing: General/Financial Awareness (50 questions, 50 marks, 35 minutes), General English (40 questions, 40 marks, 35 minutes), Quantitative Aptitude (50 questions, 50 marks, 45 minutes) and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (50 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes). Negative marking of one-fourth mark applies here too. Unlike the Prelims, the Mains does carry a minimum — you must score a minimum percentage on aggregate, with the cut-off decided by the Bank. The final merit list is prepared only from Mains marks, so this is the paper that decides your fate. Build your plan around our banking exam syllabus guides.
Phase 3: Local Language Proficiency Test
Provisionally selected candidates who have not studied the opted local language in class 10th or 12th must appear for a Local Language Proficiency Test, held after provisional selection but before joining, at a centre in the state applied for and at the candidate’s own expense. Candidates who produce a 10th or 12th marksheet showing that language as a subject are not subjected to the test at all. Candidates who fail to qualify this test will not be offered appointment.
Trained apprentices of SBI get weightage in the Main Examination — 2.5% of maximum marks, that is 5 marks out of 200, added to the aggregate score. It applies only if the apprenticeship engagement started on or after 1 January 2022, one year of specified branch experience in SBI was completed on or before 27 August 2026, conduct and performance were satisfactory throughout, and the apprenticeship was successfully completed with the joint National Apprenticeship Certificate obtained.
Two final gates sit after the merit list. Appointment is subject to being declared medically fit as per the Bank’s requirement, and to satisfactory completion of KYE (Know Your Employee) formalities. Before joining you must also disclose any pending criminal cases — the Bank may verify police records independently and can deny appointment on that basis.
How to Apply Online for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026?
Keep ready: your graduation marksheet and degree certificate, caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC), OBC non-creamy-layer certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026, a scanned photograph, signature, handwritten declaration and left thumb impression.
- Visit the SBI online application portal (direct link given in the Essential Links section below).
- Click New Registration and create your profile using a valid email ID and mobile number.
- Select the single State/UT you wish to apply for — this cannot be changed later.
- Fill in your personal, educational and category details exactly as per your certificates.
- Upload your photograph, signature, handwritten declaration and thumb impression in the prescribed size and format.
- Pay the fee online through debit card, credit card or internet banking. SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-servicemen candidates pay nothing.
- Submit the application and take a printout of the system-generated form for your records.
What are the Important Dates for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 7 August 2026 |
| Online Registration Starts | 7 August 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply & Pay Fee | 27 August 2026 |
| Age Reckoned As On | 1 April 2026 |
| Qualification Reckoned As On | 31 December 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | September 2026 (tentative) |
| Main Examination | October / November 2026 (tentative) |
What is the Application Fee for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026?
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC, ST, PwBD & Ex-Servicemen | Nil |
| OBC | ₹750 |
Payment is accepted through online mode only — debit card, credit card or internet banking via the payment gateway built into the application. The fee is non-refundable, and any transaction charges are borne by the candidate.
Essential Links — SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026
- Download Official Notification PDF
- Apply Online for SBI Junior Associate 2026
- Visit State Bank of India Official Website
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
Backlog drives like this one come with far less competition than a regular SBI Clerk cycle, because the entire 1,538 seats are reserved for SC, ST and OBC candidates. If you are eligible, this is genuinely your best shot at an SBI clerical job. Start your form today — registration closes on 27 August 2026. SBI advises applying well before the closing date to avoid website congestion, and states it takes no responsibility for applications not submitted in time for that reason. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for bank job notifications and every admit card update.