State Bank of India (SBI) has officially released the highly anticipated SBI Clerk Notification 2026 for the recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales). Released on August 11, 2026, this notification brings a massive opportunity for banking aspirants aiming for a central-level job across the country.
This year, SBI has announced 9,124 vacancies, showing a significant increase compared to the previous recruitment cycle. If you are planning to apply, this detailed guide covers everything from important dates and eligibility to the exam pattern, previous cut-offs, and application process.
1. Important Dates for SBI Clerk 2026
The State Bank of India follows a strict timeline for its recruitment processes. Candidates must keep track of the following dates to ensure they don't miss out:
Official Notification Released: August 11, 2026
Online Application Starts: August 11, 2026
Last Date to Apply Online: August 31, 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment: August 31, 2026
SBI Clerk Prelims Exam (Tentative): September 2026
SBI Clerk Mains Exam (Tentative): November 2026
2. Number of Vacancies: 2026 vs 2025 Analysis
The 2026 notification brings excellent news for aspirants, as there is a sharp increase in regular vacancies.
Total Vacancies in 2026: 9,124 (which includes 7,680 Regular Vacancies and 1,444 Backlog Vacancies).
Total Vacancies in 2025: 6,589 (which included 5,180 Regular Vacancies and 1,409 Backlog Vacancies).
Year-on-Year Change: There is an absolute increase of 2,500 regular vacancies compared to last year, roughly a 48% increase.
Important Policy Update:Under the new transfer policy introduced in 2026, newly recruited Junior Associates will not be eligible for inter-state or inter-circle transfers before completing five years of service. Furthermore, no vacancies have been reported this year for states including Kerala, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab.
3. Educational Qualification and Age Limit
Candidates must strictly meet the eligibility parameters to avoid disqualification in later stages.
Educational Qualification
Applicants must hold a Graduation Degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institute.
The cut-off date to possess this educational qualification is December 31, 2026.
Age Limit
Minimum Age: 20 years
Maximum Age: 28 years
Candidates must have been born not earlier than April 2, 1997, and not later than April 1, 2005 (both days inclusive). The age calculation cut-off date is April 1, 2026.
Age Relaxation (Upper Age Limit):
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years
SC / ST: 5 years
PwBD (General/EWS): 10 years
PwBD (OBC): 13 years
PwBD (SC/ST): 15 years
4. Selection Process
The SBI Clerk exam does not involve group discussions or personal interviews. The selection is completely based on written examinations and local language proficiency:
Preliminary Examination: An online objective test (Qualifying in nature).
Mains Examination: An online objective test (Marks obtained here decide the final merit list).
Local Language Proficiency Test (LPT): Candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding the designated local language of their opted state.
5. Exam Pattern
There are no sectional cut-offs in the SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains examinations, meaning candidates can maximize their overall scores from their strongest sections.
Preliminary Exam Pattern
The Prelims exam carries 100 marks and must be completed in 1 hour.
English Language: 30 Questions for 30 Marks
Numerical Ability: 35 Questions for 35 Marks
Reasoning Ability: 35 Questions for 35 Marks
Mains Exam Pattern
The Mains exam carries 200 marks and must be completed in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
General/Financial Awareness: 50 Questions for 50 Marks
General English: 40 Questions for 40 Marks
Quantitative Aptitude: 50 Questions for 50 Marks
Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude: 50 Questions for 60 Marks
6. Syllabus Overview
A focused approach toward the syllabus is key to cracking the exam:
Reasoning Ability: Alphanumeric series, coding-decoding, puzzles, seating arrangement, syllogism, blood relations, and direction sense.
Numerical Ability / Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, data interpretation, number series, quadratic equations, and arithmetic topics like profit and loss, time and work, and simple/compound interest.
English Language: Reading comprehension, cloze test, para jumbles, error spotting, and vocabulary.
General/Financial Awareness: Current affairs (last 6 months), banking awareness, static GK, and economic terms.
7. Last Year (2025) Cut-Off Analysis
Understanding previous year cut-offs helps in setting safe target scores during mock tests. Cut-offs vary significantly by state based on regional vacancies and competition.
SBI Clerk 2025 Prelims (General Category) Out of 100 marks:
Madhya Pradesh: 81.00
Punjab: 80.75
Uttar Pradesh: 79.50
Maharashtra: 65.50
SBI Clerk 2025 Mains (General Category) Out of 200 marks:
Delhi: 90.00
Madhya Pradesh: 90.00
Uttar Pradesh: 88.25
Gujarat: 83.50
8. Application Fee
General / OBC / EWS: Rs. 750
SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen: Exempted from fee payment
9. How to Apply Online
Eligible candidates can successfully submit their application form by following these steps:
Visit the Official Portal: Go to the official SBI careers page at sbi.bank.in/careers.
Start New Registration: Look for the "Recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales)" section, click "Apply Online," and choose "New Registration".
Fill the Form: Enter your personal, contact, and educational details carefully. Be sure to correctly select the State/UT you wish to apply for, as multiple state applications are not allowed.
Upload Documents: Upload scanned copies of a passport-size photograph, your signature, a left thumb impression, and a hand-written declaration exactly as per the official notification specifications.
Pay the Application Fee: Process the application fee using a Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, or UPI.
Print for Records: After successful submission, take a printout of the final application form and the e-receipt of fee payment for future reference.