SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 (Link Active) for 9,766 Junior Associate (Clerk) posts

State Bank of India (SBI) has released a big recruitment notification for 9,766 Junior Associate (Clerk) posts under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17. Online registration started on 11 August 2026 and will close on 31 August 2026. This recruitment includes 7,680 regular vacancies and 2,086 backlog vacancies spread across 24 States and Union Territories.

Candidates who have completed graduation in any discipline and are between 20 to 28 years of age (as on 01.04.2026) can apply online at sbi.bank.in. Selection will be done through a Preliminary Exam, a Main Exam, and a Local Language Proficiency Test. The starting basic pay is ₹26,730/- and total monthly emoluments at a metro city are around ₹46,000/-.

In this article, you will find complete information about SBI Clerk 2026 vacancy, eligibility, exam pattern, salary, application fee, exam centres and the step-by-step apply online process — everything from the official notification in one place.

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: Quick Overview

SBI Clerk 2026 Important Dates

Candidates should keep checking the official website sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings regularly, as SBI may update exam dates and centres.

SBI Clerk 2026 Vacancy Details (State Wise)

SBI has announced vacancies for 24 States/UTs. Candidates can apply for only one State/UT, and they must know the local language of that State/UT. Below is the complete state-wise, regular and backlog vacancy break-up.

Note: Backlog vacancies are the combined total of SC/ST/OBC backlog, PwBD backlog and Ex-Servicemen (XS/DXS) backlog for each state, as published in the official notification. The above vacancy numbers are provisional and may vary as per the Bank’s actual requirement.

Note for Bihar Candidates

Bihar does not have a separate vacancy allotment in this SBI Clerk 2026 notification. However, Bihar has exam centres available — Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Purnea, Arrah and Aurangabad. Candidates from Bihar who know Hindi can apply for Hindi-medium states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow Circle), Himachal Pradesh, or Jammu & Kashmir, and choose a Bihar centre for the exam. Since the post is state-specific, the Local Language Proficiency Test will still be based on the local language of the state applied for, not Hindi alone.

SBI Clerk Eligibility Criteria 2026

Eligibility for SBI Clerk 2026 has three parts — age limit, educational qualification, and knowledge of the local language of the state applied for.

SBI Clerk Age Relaxation 2026

Note: Cumulative age relaxation is not allowed under more than one category at the same time. No change in category is permitted once the online application is submitted.

Reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD)

4% horizontal reservation is available for PwBD candidates under Section 34 of the RPWD Act, 2016. This post is suitable for the following categories of disability:

SBI Clerk Application Fee 2026

Fee can be paid online through Debit Card, Credit Card or Internet Banking. The fee once paid is non-refundable and cannot be adjusted for any other exam.

SBI Clerk Selection Process 2026

Selection for SBI Junior Associate 2026 has three phases:

• Phase I: Preliminary Examination (Online Objective Test)
• Phase II: Main Examination (Online Objective Test)
• Phase III: Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT), only for candidates who need it

Only candidates who qualify Prelims are shortlisted for Mains (approximately 10 times the number of vacancies, category-wise). Final merit list is prepared only on the basis of Main Exam marks — Prelims marks are not added to the final score. There is no interview in this selection process.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

There is negative marking of 1/4th mark for each wrong answer. No minimum qualifying marks are prescribed for individual sections.

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern 2026

Same as Prelims, 1/4th mark is deducted for each wrong answer in Mains too. Candidates need to score minimum qualifying aggregate marks decided by the Bank (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates).

SBI Clerk Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)

Candidates who have not studied the specified local language in Class 10th or 12th must appear for LLPT after provisional selection but before joining. Candidates who fail this test will not be offered appointment.

SBI Clerk Salary and Pay Scale 2026

SBI Clerk 2026 Medium of Examination (State Wise)

Candidates can choose from English, Hindi and their local state language while attempting the exam. Below is the state-wise list of exam mediums.

SBI Clerk 2026 Exam Centres (State Wise List)

Below is the tentative list of exam centres for Preliminary and Main Examination. SBI reserves the right to add, remove or change centres.

How to Apply for SBI Clerk 2026

1. Visit the official SBI careers website: sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings

1. Find and open the advertisement for CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 – Recruitment of Junior Associates 2026
2. Read the detailed advertisement carefully before applying

1. Click on “Apply Online” and register with your basic details to generate a provisional registration number and password
2. Fill the application form completely — personal details, educational qualification, State/UT and local language option

1. Upload your scanned photograph, signature, left thumb impression and handwritten declaration as per the specified format
2. Pay the application fee online using Debit Card, Credit Card or Internet Banking (not applicable for SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS)
3. Submit the form and take a printout of the confirmation page for your records

Documents Required for SBI Clerk Online Form

SBI Clerk 2026 Syllabus, Admit Card & Result

SBI will release the Preliminary Exam call letter around 10 days before the exam date, followed by the Main Exam call letter for shortlisted candidates. We will publish separate detailed articles on SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026, SBI Clerk Admit Card 2026, and SBI Clerk Result 2026 — links will be added here as soon as they are live, so you can bookmark this page for complete updates.

SBI Clerk 2026 Important Links

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026: FAQs

1. What is SBI Junior Associate (Clerk) Recruitment 2026 ?

It is SBI’s official recruitment drive (Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17) to fill 9,766 vacancies for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) in the clerical cadre across various states and union territories of India.

2. How many total vacancies are there in SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 ?

There are 7,680 regular vacancies and 2,086 backlog vacancies, making a total of 9,766 vacancies across 24 states and union territories.

3. What is the last date to apply online for SBI Clerk 2026 ?

The online application window is open from 11 August 2026 to 31 August 2026.

4. What is the age limit for SBI Clerk 2026 ?

Candidates must be between 20 and 28 years of age as on 1 April 2026, that is, born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006. Age relaxation is available for reserved categories as per rules.

5. What educational qualification is required for SBI Clerk 2026 ?

Candidates need a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university, to be completed on or before 31 December 2026. Final-year students can also apply provisionally.

6. What is the application fee for SBI Clerk 2026 ?

SC, ST, PwBD, XS and DXS candidates do not need to pay any fee. General, OBC and EWS candidates must pay ₹750/- as application fee online.

7. What is the SBI Clerk 2026 selection process ?

Selection has three stages — Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and a Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT) for candidates who have not studied the local language of the state applied for in class 10 or 12. There is no interview.

8. What is the SBI Clerk Prelims exam pattern ?

Prelims carries 100 marks for 100 questions in 1 hour, covering English Language (30 marks), Numerical Ability (35 marks) and Reasoning Ability (35 marks), with 1/4th negative marking for wrong answers.

9. What is the SBI Clerk Mains exam pattern ?

Mains carries 200 marks for 190 questions in 2 hours 40 minutes, covering General/Financial Awareness (50 marks), General English (40 marks), Quantitative Aptitude (50 marks) and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (60 marks).

10. Is there negative marking in the SBI Clerk exam ?

Yes, 1/4th of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer in both the Preliminary and Main examinations.

11. What is the salary of an SBI Junior Associate (Clerk) ?

The starting basic pay is ₹26,730/-, and total starting monthly emoluments at a metro city like Mumbai are around ₹46,000/-, including DA, allowances, PF, pension and other benefits.

12. What is the Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)?

It is a test to check a candidate’s proficiency in the local language of the state or UT they applied for. Candidates with a 10th or 12th mark sheet showing that language are exempted; others must qualify LLPT before joining, or they will not be offered appointment.

13. Can candidates from Bihar apply for SBI Clerk 2026?

Bihar does not have separate vacancies in this notification, but Bihar has exam centres (Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Purnea, Arrah, Aurangabad). Hindi-knowing candidates from Bihar can apply for Hindi-medium states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, or Jammu & Kashmir, and choose a Bihar exam centre.

14. How many times can a candidate apply in this recruitment project ?

A candidate can appear for the test only once under this recruitment project and can apply for the vacancies of only one State/UT.

15. Is there any provision for inter-state transfer after joining as SBI Clerk ?

No, there is no provision for inter-circle or inter-state transfer before completion of 5 years of service. After 5 years, transfer may be considered only in exceptional cases like extreme compassionate ground or spouse ground, at the Bank’s sole discretion.

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