SBI Clerk 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility & Free Mocks

SBI Clerk, formally the Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) recruitment, is conducted independently by the State Bank of India to fill clerical positions across its branch network. A Junior Associate handles customer service at the counter, cash and clearing operations, account maintenance, and cross-selling of the bank’s products.

The recruitment is separate from the IBPS Common Recruitment Process — SBI runs its own notification, examination and merit list. Selection runs through a Preliminary Examination which is qualifying, a Main Examination which determines the merit, and a mandatory test of proficiency in the local language of the circle applied for.

SBI Clerk is popular because the State Bank of India is India’s largest bank, offering the widest branch network for posting choice, and because the recruitment has no interview stage.

SBI’s scale means more branches, more transfer options within a circle, and a stronger internal promotion pipeline than most participating banks in the IBPS process. The brand also carries weight in the wider job market.

As with IBPS Clerk, selection is decided by the Main Examination alone with no interview, which removes subjectivity from the process. The local language requirement, however, is enforced strictly and is a genuine filter rather than a formality.

• India’s largest bank with the widest branch network
• No interview stage — final merit is 100% Mains score
• Strong internal promotion route to officer cadre
• Full banking benefits including medical cover and staff loans

Expected schedule for the 2026 cycle, based on SBI’s usual recruitment calendar.sbi.co.in — Careers

The most recent SBI Clerk cycle carried approximately Notified per cycle vacancies.

SBI Clerk vacancies are published state-wise and circle-wise, and candidates apply to a single state. The relevant figure is the vacancy count for your chosen state, and competition varies considerably between circles. Confirm current numbers in the official notification.

Vacancies announced in the most recent SBI Junior Associate notification.sbi.co.in — Official Notification

To apply for SBI Clerk 2026 a candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, be between 20 and 28 years of age as on the cut-off date, and be proficient in the official language of the state applied for.

Educational Qualification

A degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government.

• Candidates in the final year of graduation may apply provisionally, but must produce proof of passing on or before the date specified in the notification.
• Knowledge of computer operations is a mandatory requirement.
• Proficiency in the specified local language of the state applied for is compulsory — candidates must be able to read, write, speak and understand it.

Age Limit

The age limit for SBI Clerk is 20 to 28 years. Age is reckoned as on the cut-off date specified in the official notification. Verify the exact date each cycle.

Nationality

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Vietnam or Ethiopia with the intention of permanently settling in India.

SBI Clerk runs in two stages — a 100-mark Prelims with 20-minute sectional timing which is qualifying only, and a 200-mark Mains across four sectionally timed sections in 2 hours 40 minutes which alone determines the merit. Both deduct 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

1. 1Online registration on the SBI careers portal, selecting a single state.
2. 2Preliminary Examination — qualifying only, used to shortlist for the Mains.
3. 3Main Examination — determines the final merit in full.
4. 4Local language proficiency test for candidates not exempt on the basis of school records.
5. 5Document verification and medical examination.
6. 6Final allotment of circle and branch.

The SBI Clerk syllabus covers Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability with Computer Aptitude, English Language, and General and Financial Awareness, with the Mains adding banking and financial awareness depth not present in the Prelims.

An SBI Junior Associate starts with a basic pay of approximately ₹24,050 following the latest bipartite wage revision, giving an approximate gross salary of ₹36,000 to ₹42,000 per month depending on city classification, which is typically slightly higher than comparable IBPS clerical posts.

Allowances and Benefits

• Dearness Allowance (DA) — revised quarterly
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) or bank accommodation
• Transport and Special Allowance
• Newspaper, furniture and other reimbursements
• Medical insurance covering the employee and family
• Concessional staff loans for housing, vehicle and education
• Pension under NPS and Leave Fare Concession

The decisive SBI Clerk strategy is to build accuracy under strict sectional timing and to confirm your local language position early, because the language test disqualifies otherwise-selected candidates at the final stage.