Banking Exam Calendar 2026 — All Important Dates in One Place
All major banking exam dates for 2026 in one place — SBI PO, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, IBPS RRB, LIC AAO, and more. Know what's coming, when to apply, and how to plan your preparation.
Banking Exam Calendar 2026 — Every Important Date You Need
If you're preparing for banking exams in 2026, the biggest mistake you can make is missing an application window. Unlike UPSC or SSC, banking exams don't repeat every few months on a fixed calendar. Each has its own cycle. Miss the application date and you wait another year.
Here is the complete banking exam calendar for 2026, with confirmed dates wherever available and expected dates clearly marked.
SBI PO 2026
State Bank of India Probationary Officer recruitment — one of the most sought-after banking jobs.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | June 2026 (Expected) |
| Application Opens | June 2026 (Expected) |
| Last Date to Apply | Early July 2026 (Expected) |
| Prelims | August 1–2, 2026 (Expected) |
| Mains | September 12, 2026 (Expected) |
| Group Exercise + Interview | October–November 2026 |
Vacancies (typical): 2,000–3,000 posts Official site: sbi.co.in/careers
IBPS PO 2026 (CRP PO/MT-XVI)
IBPS Probationary Officer recruitment for 11 public sector banks.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | July 2026 (Expected) |
| Last Date to Apply | ~July 21, 2026 (Expected) |
| Prelims | August 22–23, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Mains | October 4, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Interview | November–December 2026 |
Vacancies (typical): 3,000–5,000 posts across 11 banks Official site: ibps.in
IBPS Clerk 2026 (CRP Clerks-XVI)
IBPS Clerk recruitment for 11 banks — no interview, selection purely on Mains marks.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | July–August 2026 (Expected) |
| Last Date to Apply | ~August 5, 2026 (Expected) |
| Prelims | October 10–11, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Mains | December 27, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
Vacancies (typical): 5,000–8,000 posts across 11 banks Official site: ibps.in
IBPS RRB 2026 (CRP RRBs-XV)
IBPS Regional Rural Bank recruitment for Officer Scale I (PO equivalent) and Office Assistant (Clerk equivalent). Good option for candidates who prefer to work in their home state.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | August 2026 (Expected) |
| Last Date to Apply | ~September 15, 2026 (Expected) |
| Officer Scale I Prelims | November 21–22, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Officer Scale I Mains | December 20, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Office Assistant Prelims | December 6, 12–13, 2026 (CONFIRMED) |
| Office Assistant Mains | January 30, 2027 (CONFIRMED) |
Vacancies: Typically 8,000–12,000 combined posts across 43 RRBs Official site: ibps.in
LIC AAO 2026-27
Life Insurance Corporation of India — Assistant Administrative Officer. Exceptional salary (₹88,635 basic, ~₹1.26 lakh gross in metro) but requires Insurance Awareness preparation.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Expected | August–September 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply (Expected) | September 2026 |
| Prelims (Expected) | October 2026 |
| Mains (Expected) | November 2026 |
Official site: licindia.in/careers
Other Banking and Insurance Exams to Watch
RBI Grade B 2026: Reserve Bank of India Grade B Officers exam. Expected in Q3/Q4 2026. One of the best-paid government jobs — gross salary over ₹1 lakh/month. Watch rbi.org.in for announcements.
NABARD Grade A/B 2026: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. Usually announced mid-year. Watch nabard.org.
NIACL AO 2026: New India Assurance Company — Administrative Officer. Watch newindia.co.in.
SBI Clerk 2026: If announced, will be at sbi.co.in/careers. Last cycle had 13,735 vacancies.
How to Plan Your Preparation Around This Calendar
The calendar reveals a clear pattern: banking exams cluster from August to December 2026. If you start preparing seriously in June or July, you can target multiple exams in the same preparation cycle.
The ideal target combination for 2026:
| Month | What to Appear For |
|---|---|
| August | SBI PO Prelims (experience + attempt) |
| August | IBPS PO Prelims (1 week later) |
| October | IBPS Clerk Prelims |
| November | IBPS RRB Officer Scale I Prelims |
| December | IBPS RRB Office Assistant Prelims + IBPS Clerk Mains |
One preparation cycle, multiple chances. The syllabus for SBI PO, IBPS PO, and IBPS Clerk overlaps heavily. IBPS RRB is slightly easier at the Prelims level and gives you a home-state posting advantage.
One Rule: Apply the Day Notifications Drop
Banking exam application windows are short — typically 15-21 days. Keep licindia.in and ibps.in bookmarked. Set a reminder for every month from June to September 2026. The moment a notification drops, read it the same day and apply within 48 hours. Don't wait for "more information" — the form, eligibility, and fee are always straightforward.
Missing an application by one day is the most avoidable mistake in government exam preparation.