SBI Clerk Notification 2026: Exam Date, Vacancy, Eligibility & Complete Guide

Quick Answer

The State Bank of India has released the SBI Clerk Notification 2026 for the recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17. A total of 9,766 vacancies have been announced, comprising 7,680 regular posts and 2,086 backlog posts. Online applications opened on 11 August 2026 and close on 31 August 2026. The Preliminary Examination is expected on 26 and 27 September 2026, while the Main Examination is tentatively scheduled for 23 November 2026.

SBI Clerk Exam Date 2026

The SBI Clerk exam remains one of the most competitive banking recruitment drives in the country every year, and the 2026 cycle has brought one of the largest vacancy counts in recent times. The State Bank of India released the SBI Clerk Notification 2026 on its official website on 11 August 2026, inviting applications for the post of Junior Associate, commonly known as SBI Clerk. If you are preparing for multiple banking exams this season, our detailed guide on the complete list of banking exams in India can help you plan your preparation calendar around SBI, IBPS, RBI, and other recruitment cycles happening around the same time.

Latest Update

As per the notification, the online application window opened on 11 August 2026 and will remain active till 31 August 2026, with the same closing date applicable for fee payment. The Preliminary Examination is expected to be conducted on 26 and 27 September 2026, and the Main Examination is tentatively scheduled for 23 November 2026, based on the timeline circulated by SBI. The confirmed shift-wise schedule for both stages will be released along with the respective admit cards.

Notification Released

SBI has officially confirmed 9,766 Junior Associate vacancies through this notification, one of the highest counts announced for the SBI Clerk post in recent recruitment cycles. This includes 7,680 regular vacancies distributed across states and union territories, along with 2,086 backlog vacancies carried forward from earlier recruitment years.

Application Status

The application process for SBI Clerk 2026 is currently open at the official SBI recruitment portal. Candidates can register using their basic details to generate a registration number and password, which are required to complete the remaining steps of the application, including document upload, state selection, and fee payment. Since state selection cannot be changed after final submission, candidates should decide their preferred state carefully before applying.

Prelims Exam Schedule

The Computer Based Preliminary Examination is expected to be conducted over two days, 26 and 27 September 2026, in multiple shifts across various centres in India. This is a qualifying stage only, and marks scored here are not carried forward to the final merit list.

Mains Exam Schedule

The Main Examination is tentatively scheduled for a single day, 23 November 2026. Since final selection for SBI Clerk depends entirely on Mains marks, this is the stage candidates should prioritise the most while planning their preparation.

Featured Snippet Table: SBI Clerk Notification 2026 Overview

SBI Clerk Notification 2026 PDF

Notification Highlights

The SBI Clerk Notification 2026 PDF, released under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17, covers everything from eligibility and state-wise vacancy distribution to the exam pattern, fee structure, and selection process for the Junior Associate post. It also carries the category-wise vacancy annexure and important instructions regarding local language requirements and document upload.

Recruitment Overview

This year's recruitment covers Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) posts across SBI's circles and branches nationwide. The vacancies are notified separately for each state and union territory, and reservation is applicable across SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and Unreserved categories, along with horizontal reservation for PwBD, Ex-Servicemen, and dependents of Ex-Servicemen under the backlog vacancies.

Important Instructions

Candidates must apply only through the official SBI website and should keep their graduation details, a recent photograph, and signature ready in the prescribed format before starting the application. Candidates applying for a particular state or union territory should be able to read, write, speak, and understand the specified local language of that state, and there is generally no inter-circle or interstate transfer for Junior Associates recruited before completing five years of service.

Official PDF Download

The complete SBI Clerk Notification 2026 PDF is available on the official SBI careers portal. Candidates are advised to download and save a copy for reference throughout the recruitment cycle, particularly the state-wise and category-wise vacancy tables, since these directly influence which state a candidate should choose while applying.

Changes Introduced This Year

The 2026 cycle stands out for combining a large number of regular vacancies with a significant backlog vacancy count in the same notification, taking the total to 9,766 posts. This is a noticeable jump compared to the SBI Clerk 2025 cycle, giving candidates a wider spread of state options this year, including some circles that had very few or no vacancies in the previous cycle.

SBI Clerk Important Dates 2026

Candidates preparing for SBI Clerk alongside other banking exams this year should also check our guide on the IBPS Clerk Notification 2026 (CRP CSA-XVI), since a large number of aspirants attempt both SBI and IBPS clerical recruitments in the same cycle.

SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026

Total Vacancies

SBI has announced a total of 9,766 Junior Associate vacancies for the 2026 recruitment cycle, made up of 7,680 regular vacancies and 2,086 backlog vacancies. This is one of the largest vacancy counts for the SBI Clerk post in recent years and offers a wide range of opportunities to graduates across the country.

State-wise Vacancy

Vacancies for SBI Clerk are notified state-wise and union territory-wise, and candidates can apply for only one state or UT in a given cycle. Maharashtra has the highest number of regular vacancies at 1,718, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,410 and Odisha with 1,100 vacancies. On the other hand, no vacancies have been announced this year for several states and union territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Delhi, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. Candidates from these regions will need to consider applying for a nearby state where they meet the local language requirement.

Category-wise Vacancy

Out of the 7,680 regular vacancies, 3,253 posts are reserved for the Unreserved category, 1,716 for OBC, 1,114 for SC, 837 for ST, and 760 for EWS candidates. The 2,086 backlog vacancies are distributed across SC, ST, and OBC categories, along with applicable horizontal reservation for PwBD, Ex-Servicemen, and dependents of Ex-Servicemen.

Backlog Vacancy

Backlog vacancies form a significant part of this year's notification, accounting for 2,086 of the total 9,766 posts. These are vacancies carried forward from earlier recruitment cycles where reserved category posts could not be filled due to non-availability of eligible candidates, and they are treated with the same selection process and exam pattern as the regular vacancies.

Previous Year Vacancy Trend

SBI Clerk vacancies have varied considerably over recent years, with 14,191 posts announced in 2024 before dropping to a lower figure in 2025. The 2026 figure of 9,766 vacancies represents a strong recovery in overall numbers, though the state-wise distribution has shifted noticeably this year, with some previously high-vacancy states reporting none at all.

SBI Clerk Eligibility Criteria

Nationality

A candidate must be a citizen of India to apply for the Junior Associate post.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or possess an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government, as on 31 December 2026. Candidates in the final year or final semester of graduation may also apply provisionally, subject to producing proof of having passed the qualifying exam on or before the specified date. Candidates should also be able to read, write, speak, and understand the local language of the state or union territory for which they are applying.

Age Limit

The age limit for SBI Clerk 2026 is set between 20 and 28 years, calculated as on 31 December 2026. This means candidates must have been born not before 2 January 1998 and not later than 1 January 2006 to be eligible, subject to applicable age relaxation.

Age Relaxation

Candidates should refer to the official notification for the complete list of relaxation categories before calculating their exact eligible age.

SBI Clerk Application Process

Step-by-Step Registration

The application process for SBI Clerk begins with basic registration on the official SBI recruitment portal, where candidates provide their name, date of birth, contact details, and email ID to generate a registration number and password. Candidates then log in to complete the detailed application form, select their state or union territory, choose their local language, and upload the required documents before making the final submission. Since the state selection cannot be edited after submission, candidates should confirm this choice carefully based on both vacancy availability and their language proficiency.

Application Fee

The application fee for SBI Clerk 2026 is Rs 750 for General, EWS, and OBC category candidates, while SC, ST, and PwBD category candidates are exempted from paying any fee. Payment can be made online through debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI.

Documents Required

Candidates need to keep a recent photograph, signature, and their graduation mark sheet or provisional certificate ready, along with category or disability certificates wherever applicable. All documents must meet the exact file size and dimension requirements specified in the notification, with the photograph typically required in a dimension of 200 x 230 pixels and a file size between 20 KB and 50 KB.

Photo and Signature Guidelines

The photograph should be a recent passport-style colour image with the candidate's face clearly visible against a plain background. The signature must be uploaded in the prescribed format and size as mentioned in the official notification, since applications with non-compliant photographs or signatures are liable to be rejected at the verification stage.

SBI Clerk Exam Pattern 2026

The SBI Clerk selection process consists of two online examinations, the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination, followed by a Local Language Proficiency Test for candidates who have not studied the specified local language up to Class 10 or 12. There is no interview at any stage.

Preliminary Exam Pattern

Prelims marks are used only for shortlisting candidates to the Main Examination and are not counted towards the final merit list.

Mains Exam Pattern

Only marks scored in the Main Examination are considered for the final merit list. Candidates can attempt the Mains paper in Hindi, English, or a regional language of their choice, except for the English Language section, which must be attempted in English only.

Negative Marking

Both the Preliminary and Main Examinations carry a negative marking of 0.25 marks, or one-fourth of the marks assigned to a question, for every incorrect answer. No marks are deducted for questions left unattempted.

Sectional Cut-off

Unlike some other banking exams, SBI has clarified that no minimum qualifying marks are prescribed for individual sections in the SBI Clerk exam. This means there is no sectional cut-off, and candidates only need to clear the overall cut-off marks fixed for each stage, which gives slightly more flexibility to manage weaker sections during the exam.

SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026

English Language

This section tests vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension through topics such as synonyms, antonyms, spotting errors, cloze test, para jumbles, sentence correction, and passage-based questions, with Mains questions being noticeably tougher and more vocabulary-intensive than Prelims.

Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude

This section covers both verbal and non-verbal reasoning, including puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, blood relations, coding-decoding, direction sense, inequality, and series-based questions. In the Main Examination, this section also includes basic computer aptitude topics like hardware, software, internet terminology, and common computer abbreviations relevant to banking operations.

Quantitative Aptitude

This section tests numerical ability and problem-solving skills through topics like simplification, number series, ratio and proportion, percentage, profit and loss, time and work, simple and compound interest, data interpretation, and mensuration. Puzzles and Data Interpretation questions tend to carry significant weightage in Mains and often decide a candidate's final rank.

General and Financial Awareness

This section, part of the Main Examination only, focuses on current affairs from the last few months, along with static banking awareness topics such as the Indian financial system, RBI functions, monetary policy, government schemes, and abbreviations related to banking and finance. This section carries 50 marks and typically takes the least time to answer among all Mains sections, so candidates who score well here often gain a real edge over others.

SBI Clerk Selection Process

Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination is a qualifying stage used only to shortlist candidates for the Main Examination. Candidates must clear the overall cut-off marks fixed by SBI to proceed, since there is no sectional cut-off at this stage.

Main Examination

The Main Examination is the stage that determines the final merit list. Since there is no interview or descriptive test involved, the Mains score alone decides selection, category-wise and state-wise, making accuracy and time management across all four sections critical.

Local Language Proficiency Test

Candidates who have not studied the specified local language of their chosen state up to Class 10 or Class 12 are required to appear for a Local Language Proficiency Test after the Mains result. This test is qualifying in nature and is meant to ensure candidates can comfortably interact with customers in the local language of their eventual branch posting.

Document Verification and Appointment

After qualifying the Main Examination and, where applicable, the Local Language Proficiency Test, candidates go through document verification before receiving their final appointment as Junior Associate at an SBI branch within their selected state or circle.

SBI Clerk Expected Cut Off

Cut-off trends for SBI Clerk vary significantly by state and category, since vacancies and applicant numbers differ widely from one circle to another. States with a large number of vacancies and comparatively fewer applicants, such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha this year, may see somewhat more approachable cut-offs, while states with high applicant density relative to available vacancies tend to see sharper competition. Since there is no sectional cut-off this year, candidates should focus on maximising their overall Mains score rather than trying to clear each section individually, and can treat previous year cut-off figures only as a rough benchmark rather than a fixed target.

SBI Clerk Salary 2026

Pay Scale

Following the 12th Bipartite Settlement, the pay scale for a Junior Associate is Rs 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, meaning the basic pay can rise to around Rs 64,480 after around 20 years of service through periodic increments. Graduate candidates are additionally entitled to two advance increments, taking the starting basic pay to Rs 26,730 per month.

In-Hand Salary

Including Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, and Special Allowance, the approximate gross monthly salary works out to around Rs 46,000, while the net in-hand salary after standard deductions is estimated at approximately Rs 42,000 to Rs 44,000 per month, depending on the city of posting and applicable allowance rates.

Allowances and Benefits

Apart from basic pay, SBI Junior Associates receive Dearness Allowance revised periodically, House Rent Allowance that varies by city category, Transport Allowance, Special Allowance, medical benefits, provident fund, and NPS contributions as applicable. Employees also become eligible for internal promotion exams after a few years of service, which can lead to officer-level positions over time. For candidates curious about how a banking career can progress financially, our detailed breakdown of SBI PO Salary 2026 is a useful reference for comparing the officer-level pay structure with the clerical cadre.

Best Books for SBI Clerk

Alongside standard reference books, candidates preparing at Sreedhar's CCE get access to structured classroom material, sectional practice sets, and full-length mock tests designed specifically around the current SBI Clerk exam pattern. Aspirants who also want to understand the syllabus and pattern of the sister banking exam can refer to our IBPS Clerk syllabus and exam pattern guide, since a large portion of the preparation overlaps between the two exams.

SBI Clerk Previous Year Papers

Solving previous year SBI Clerk papers is one of the most reliable ways to understand the real difficulty level of both Prelims and Mains, along with how questions are distributed within each section. Regular practice with past papers, combined with strict sectional timing, helps candidates build the speed and accuracy needed to clear the tight time limits in both stages of this exam, especially since Prelims rewards speed while Mains rewards depth and accuracy.

SBI Clerk Exam Day Guidelines

Checklist

• Carry a printed copy of the admit card along with a valid original photo ID proof, matching the name on the admit card exactly.
• Reach the exam centre well before the reporting time mentioned on the admit card, since late entry is generally not permitted.
• Carry a passport size photograph if instructed to do so on the admit card, in addition to the admit card copy.
• Avoid carrying mobile phones, smartwatches, calculators, or any other electronic or communication devices inside the exam hall.
• Complete biometric verification and frisking calmly, and read all on-screen instructions carefully before starting each section.

Latest SBI Clerk News and Updates

Candidates should keep checking the official SBI website regularly for updates on admit card release dates, exam city intimation, and any changes to the tentative exam schedule, since SBI does not always send individual notifications for every update. For broader banking exam coverage, our banking exams in India guide is also updated regularly with the latest notifications across SBI, IBPS, RBI, and other recruiting bodies.

Why Choose Sreedhar's CCE for SBI Clerk Preparation

Clearing SBI Clerk in a single attempt calls for consistent practice across four scoring sections, sharp time management, and a clear understanding of how state-wise vacancy and cut-off trends work across different circles. This is exactly the kind of structured support that Sreedhar's CCE has been offering banking aspirants for nearly three decades.

Experienced faculty who track every SBI update. Sreedhar's CCE faculty follow every change SBI makes to the exam pattern and vacancy distribution, so classroom teaching always reflects the current notification rather than an outdated pattern.

Separate strategy for Prelims and Mains. Since Prelims is only a qualifying stage with no sectional cut-off and Mains alone decides the final merit, Sreedhar's CCE structures its teaching to help candidates build speed for Prelims first and then shift focus to accuracy and depth for the higher-weightage Mains sections like Reasoning Ability and Quantitative Aptitude.

Regular full-length mock tests. Timed mock tests modelled on the exact SBI Clerk pattern, including sectional timers, help candidates get comfortable with the pressure of a 60-minute Prelims and a 160-minute Mains paper well before the real exam.

Focused General and Financial Awareness support. Since this section carries 50 marks in Mains and rewards consistent daily reading, Sreedhar's CCE provides structured current affairs and banking awareness updates that are easy to revise close to the exam date.

Updated study material. Notes and practice sets are refreshed in line with the latest SBI Clerk syllabus and question trends, so candidates are never preparing from an outdated pattern.

Personal mentorship and doubt-clearing. Smaller batch sizes and regular one-on-one doubt-clearing sessions mean candidates get individual attention rather than getting lost in a large, impersonal batch, which matters when preparing for a two-stage exam with no interview and no room for error in Mains.

A strong track record across banking exams. Beyond SBI Clerk, Sreedhar's CCE has guided candidates through related banking recruitments like IBPS Clerk, IBPS PO, and even private sector recruitments such as South Indian Bank Clerk, giving the institute broad, current experience with how these exams are structured and how cut-offs tend to move year after year.