State Bank of India (SBI)
SBI Clerk 2026 — Junior Associate in State Bank of India
Quick Information
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) |
| Total Vacancies | 14,191 |
| Salary | Starting Basic Pay: ₹26,730/month + DA + HRA + other allowances. Total gross approximately ₹35,000–₹43,000/month depending on city. Staff loan benefits (home, car, personal loan at highly subsidised rates). Promotion to officer grade possible within 3–5 years via internal exam. |
| Organization | State Bank of India (SBI) |
Application Fee
| General | ₹750 |
| OBC | ₹750 |
| SC / ST | Nil |
| Women | Nil |
| PH / Divyang | Nil |
Important Dates
| Start Date | 17 November 2025 |
| Last Date | 7 December 2025 |
| Exam Date | 22 February 2026 |
Eligibility
| Age Limit | 20–28 years as on January 1, 2026. OBC NCL: +3 yrs. SC/ST: +5 yrs. PwBD (UR): +10 yrs. Ex-Servicemen: +3 yrs after deducting military service. |
| Education | Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Proficiency in the official language of the state applied for is required. |
Selection Process
- 1**Stage 1 — Preliminary Exam** | Section | Questions | Marks | Time | |---|---|---|---| | English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min | | Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min | | Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min | | **Total** | **100** | **100** | **60 min** | Negative marking: 0.25. Individual section time limits apply. Prelims only shortlists — marks don't count in final merit. **Stage 2 — Mains Exam** | Section | Questions | Marks | Time | |---|---|---|---| | General/Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 min | | General English | 40 | 40 | 35 min | | Quantitative Aptitude & DI | 50 | 50 | 45 min | | Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 min | | **Total** | **190** | **200** | **2 hrs 40 min** | No interview — final selection based on Mains merit. Local Language Test (qualifying) before joining.
How to Apply
Official Links
What Is SBI Clerk?
SBI Clerk (officially called Junior Associate — Customer Support & Sales) is a branch-level banking job in State Bank of India. At the counter, you handle account openings, deposits, withdrawals, DDs, passbook updates, and customer queries. Behind the scenes, you handle data entry, clearing, and basic banking operations.
It's not the most glamorous entry point into banking — but it's in India's largest bank, with full government benefits, NPS pension, staff loan rates that no private sector job can match (SBI home loans at ~1% for staff), and a clear promotion path. Many SBI officers today started as Clerks.
The posting is state-specific. You must have proficiency in the local language of the state you apply for. Apply in the state where you actually plan to work — your entire career in SBI's clerical cadre will likely stay within that state.
Vacancy Details 2026
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| UR | ~5,750 |
| OBC | ~3,831 |
| SC | ~2,129 |
| ST | ~1,064 |
| EWS | ~1,417 |
| Total | ~14,191 |
Exact state-wise and circle-wise vacancy breakup is in the official notification.
Eligibility
Age (as on January 1, 2026)
- General / EWS: 20–28 years
- OBC (NCL): up to 31 years
- SC / ST: up to 33 years
- PwBD (UR): up to 38 years
Language Requirement
You must be proficient in the official language of the state you're applying for. This is verified at the time of Local Language Test (LLT) — before final joining. Fail LLT and you're disqualified even after clearing Prelims and Mains.
Salary
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹26,730/month |
| DA | ~₹13,000/month (revised quarterly) |
| HRA | ₹2,100–₹6,400/month (city-based) |
| Special Allowance + Other | ~₹3,500/month |
| Gross Monthly | ~₹35,000–₹43,000/month |
After 3–4 years, appear for JAIIB and CAIIB certifications and internal promotion exams. Many Clerks promote to officer grade within 5–8 years.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | ₹750 |
| SC / ST / PwBD | Nil |
Exam Pattern
Prelims
English, Numerical Ability, Reasoning — 100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes. Sectional timing enforced. Negative marking: 0.25. Prelims only qualifies you for Mains.
Mains
GK/Financial Awareness, English, Quant & DI, Reasoning & Computer Aptitude — 190 questions, 200 marks, 160 minutes. No interview. Pure merit from Mains decides your rank and posting state.
Financial/General Awareness is the differentiator. Candidates who score 45+/50 here gain 5–10 marks over the rest. Read banking current affairs, RBI policy updates, and major government financial schemes daily for 6–8 weeks before Mains.
Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification (2025–26 cycle) | November 2025 |
| Application Closed | December 7, 2025 |
| Prelims | February 22, 2026 |
| Mains | April 2026 |
| LLT + Joining | June–August 2026 |
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| SBI Careers | sbi.co.in |
| Apply (next cycle) | sbi.co.in → Careers → Current Openings |