SBI Clerk (Junior Associate, Customer Support & Sales)

You need a degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent the Central Government recognises, passed on or before 31 December 2026. Final-year students may apply provisionally and must show proof of passing by that date if they are provisionally selected. Matriculate ex-servicemen are also eligible if they hold the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education (or the matching Navy or Air Force certificate) after at least 15 years of service.

The age band is 20 to 28 years on 1 April 2026: born not earlier than 2 April 1998 and not later than 1 April 2006. The upper limit is relaxed by 3 years for OBC, 5 for SC and ST, and 10, 13 or 15 for PwBD (General/EWS, OBC, SC/ST). Ex-servicemen get their actual service plus 3 years (8 for disabled ex-servicemen from SC or ST), up to 50. Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated who have not remarried get 7 years, up to 35 for General and EWS, 38 for OBC and 40 for SC and ST. Trained SBI apprentices get 1 to 16 years by category. Relaxations do not add up.

People already in SBI's clerical cadre can't apply, and neither can those who resigned from it.^[1]

You apply for vacancies in one state or union territory only, and you can sit the exam only once in this recruitment. The merit list is drawn state by state and category by category, and if selected you are posted in that state.

You must be able to read, write, speak and understand the local language listed for that state. If your class 10 or 12 mark sheet or certificate shows you studied it, you skip the language test. Otherwise you take it after the mains and before joining, and if you fail it you are not offered the post.

There is no transfer to another circle or state before 5 years of service. After that, the bank may consider only exceptional cases, such as extreme compassionate or spouse grounds.^[1]

• Phase I, preliminary exam: 100 questions in one hour. It only shortlists, with no minimum marks, and about 10 times the vacancies in each category go to the mains.
• Phase II, main exam: 190 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours 40 minutes. Selection is on this total alone.
• Local language test: for provisionally selected candidates who did not study the state's language in class 10 or 12.
• Wait list: up to 50% of the vacancies, state and category wise, valid for one year from the final result.
• Trained SBI apprentices who meet the notice's conditions get 5 bonus marks out of 200 in the mains.

Source^[1]

Selected candidates join as Junior Associates in the clerical cadre, on probation for at least 6 months, during which they must finish the bank's e-lessons to be confirmed. The starting basic pay is Rs 26,730 (Rs 24,050 plus two advance increments for graduates), and the notice puts total starting pay at around Rs 46,000 a month at a metro such as Mumbai, including DA and allowances at current rates.^[1]

• 11 to 31 August 2026: online registration and fee payment.
• September 2026: preliminary exam (tentative).
• November 2026: main exam (tentative).
• After the mains, before joining: the local language test for those who need it.
• Before you apply: check your class 10 and 12 records for the state's language, and pick the state you are ready to work in for at least 5 years.
• Between prelims and mains: the mains is longer and carries the selection, so give Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (60 marks, the largest test) and General/Financial Awareness (50 marks) proper time.

Source^[1]