State Bank of India has opened its biggest clerical hiring drive of the year. The bank released Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 for 9,124 Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) posts. Online registration runs from 11 August 2026 to 31 August 2026.
This is SBI’s flagship Clerk recruitment. It covers 24 states and Union Territories. Below, you’ll find every detail you need — vacancies, eligibility, exam pattern, salary, and the full application process.
1. Recruitment Overview
SBI calls this role “Junior Associate,” but most candidates simply know it as SBI Clerk. The job sits in the bank’s clerical cadre. Your daily work will include customer support, teller duties, and sales of banking products.
Here’s the quick snapshot:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Bank | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) |
| Advertisement No. | CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 |
| Total Vacancies | 9,124 (7,680 Regular + 1,444 Backlog) |
| Cadre | Clerical |
| States/UTs Covered | 24 |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Prelims Exam (Tentative) | September 2026 |
| Mains Exam (Tentative) | November 2026 |
| Official Website | sbi.bank.in |
Notice something important here. You can apply for only one State or UT. Once you pick your state, you’re locked into it — there’s no switching later. Plan this choice carefully before you start your form.
2. Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Registration Start | 11 August 2026 |
| Online Registration & Fee Payment Close | 31 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam (Tentative) | September 2026 |
| Main Exam (Tentative) | November 2026 |
The registration window is short — just three weeks. Don’t wait until the last few days. SBI’s own notification warns that heavy website traffic near the deadline can block your submission entirely.
3. Vacancy Details
SBI has split the 9,124 vacancies into two types: Regular (7,680) and Backlog (1,444). Backlog vacancies exist to fill gaps from earlier reserved-category recruitment cycles.
Here’s how vacancies break down by the largest circles:
| Circle | State/UT | Local Language | Regular Vacancies | Backlog Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | Tamil Nadu | Tamil | 1,410 | 106 |
| Kolkata | West Bengal | Bengali/Nepali | 555 | 149 |
| Maharashtra/Mumbai Metro | Maharashtra | Marathi | 1,718 | 281 |
| Bhubaneswar | Odisha | Odia | 1,100 | 18 |
| Bengaluru | Karnataka | Kannada | 760 | 39 |
| Gandhinagar | Gujarat | Gujarati | 330 | 305 |
| Hyderabad | Telangana | Telugu/Urdu | 260 | 0 |
| Jaipur | Rajasthan | Hindi | 350 | 75 |
| Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | Hindi/Urdu | 250 | 30 |
| Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh | Hindi | 400 | 223 |
| All-India Total | 7,680 | 1,444 |
Maharashtra offers the single largest opening, with 1,718 regular seats. Tamil Nadu and Odisha follow close behind. If you’re flexible about which state to apply for, these three circles give you the widest odds.
A crucial rule to remember: you must know the local language of your chosen state. SBI tests this either through your Class 10/12 mark sheet (if you studied that language) or through a separate Language Proficiency Test after you clear the Main Exam.
One more thing worth flagging. SBI states clearly that these vacancy numbers are provisional. The bank can revise them up or down based on actual staffing needs.
4. Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification (as on 31 December 2026)
You need a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year students can also apply — but if selected, you must prove you passed by 31 December 2026.
Age Limit (as on 1 April 2026)
You must be between 20 and 28 years old. In other words, born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006.
Age Relaxation Table
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC | 3 years |
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| PwBD (General/EWS) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Service period + 3 years |
| Widows/Divorced Women (not remarried) | 7 years |
| Trained SBI Apprentices | 1 to 16 years, depending on category |
Keep in mind: these relaxations don’t stack. You get the benefit of only one category, not a combination of several.
Who cannot apply? Two groups are barred outright. First, anyone currently working in SBI’s clerical cadre. Second, anyone who previously resigned from SBI while working in the clerical cadre.
5. Selection Process
SBI Clerk selection has three clear stages. You must clear each one before moving to the next.
Phase I: Preliminary Examination
This is a screening round. It won’t count toward your final merit — it only decides who moves ahead.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
There’s no minimum passing mark for each section. SBI shortlists roughly 10 times the number of vacancies for the Main Exam, based on your total prelims score.
Phase II: Main Examination
This is the stage that truly decides your rank. Your prelims marks get dropped completely — only Main Exam marks matter for the final merit list.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General/Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 hours 40 minutes |
Both exams carry negative marking. You’ll lose one-fourth of a mark for every wrong answer.
Phase III: Local Language Proficiency Test
If you can’t show a Class 10 or 12 mark sheet proving you studied your chosen state’s local language, you’ll sit this test after the Main Exam. Fail it, and you won’t get the job — no exceptions.
Final Merit & Wait List
SBI prepares the merit list state-wise and category-wise. The bank also keeps a wait list of up to 50% of vacancies, released quarterly to fill seats left vacant by no-shows or resignations.
Bonus for SBI apprentices: if you’ve completed a full year as a trained SBI apprentice, you get 5 bonus marks added to your Main Exam score.
6. Salary & Pay Structure
Junior Associates fall on this 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
Fresh graduates get two advance increments right at joining. So your starting basic pay works out to ₹26,730.
What does the total take-home look like? In a metro city like Mumbai, your total monthly emoluments — including DA and other allowances — come to roughly ₹46,000 per month.
Beyond the salary, you also get provident fund benefits, pension under the New Pension Scheme, medical coverage, and Leave Fare Concession.
Probation period: every new Junior Associate serves at least 6 months on probation. You’ll need to complete prescribed e-lessons during this time to get confirmed.
7. Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS | Nil |
| General/OBC/EWS | ₹750 |
This fee is completely non-refundable. Once you pay, there’s no way to get it back or transfer it to another exam.
8. How to Apply
Follow these steps in order:
- Go to the official SBI careers page: sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings
- Find the link for “Recruitment of Junior Associates 2026.”
- Register with a valid email ID and mobile number. Keep both active — SBI sends all updates only through these.
- Fill in your personal, educational, and category details carefully.
- Upload your photograph, signature, left thumb impression, and a handwritten declaration, following the exact size specifications below.
- Pay your application fee online through debit card, credit card, or net banking.
- Download and print your submitted application. Don’t send this printout to SBI — just keep it for yourself.
Document upload specifications:
| Document | Size |
|---|---|
| Photograph | 20–50 KB, JPG/JPEG |
| Signature | 10–20 KB, JPG/JPEG |
| Left Thumb Impression | 20–50 KB, JPG/JPEG |
| Handwritten Declaration | 50–100 KB, JPG/JPEG |
A few things to double-check before you submit:
- You can only submit one application. If you accidentally create more than one, SBI keeps only your last valid submission — and forfeits the fee you paid on the earlier ones.
- Once submitted, you cannot edit any detail — including your category. Read every field twice before hitting submit.
- SBI offers free online pre-examination training for SC/ST/OBC/Ex-servicemen/PwBD candidates. Tick the relevant box in your application if you want this.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many total vacancies are there? | 9,124 — split into 7,680 Regular and 1,444 Backlog vacancies. |
| What is the last date to apply? | 31 August 2026, for both registration and fee payment. |
| Can I apply for more than one state? | No. You can apply for only one State/UT, and there’s no Inter-State Transfer for at least 5 years. |
| What is the age limit? | 20 to 28 years as on 1 April 2026, with category-wise relaxation available. |
| What is the qualification required? | Graduation in any discipline; final-year students can also apply provisionally. |
| Is there negative marking? | Yes, one-fourth mark is deducted for each wrong answer in both Prelims and Mains. |
| Do Prelims marks count in the final merit? | No. Only your Main Exam score decides your final rank. |
| What is the application fee? | ₹750 for General/OBC/EWS candidates; no fee for SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS candidates. |
| What is the starting salary? | Basic pay of ₹26,730, with total emoluments around ₹46,000/month in a metro city. |
| Is knowledge of the local language mandatory? | Yes — either through your school certificates or by clearing a separate Language Proficiency Test. |
10. Official Links
- Official Notification PDF: https://sbi.bank.in/webfiles/uploads/files_2627/08/JA_2026_Detailed_Advt_Eng.pdf
- Official Application Portal: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings
- Official SBI Website: https://sbi.bank.in
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