State Bank of India (SBI), through its Central Recruitment and Promotion Department (CRPD), Mumbai, has released Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 for the recruitment of 1538 Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales) posts in the Clerical Cadre under a Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC Backlog Vacancies only. The breakdown is SC: 207, ST: 1,219 and OBC: 112 posts across 21 States and Union Territories. General/UR and EWS category candidates are NOT eligible for this drive. The online application opened on 07 August 2026 and the last date to apply and pay the fee is 27 August 2026. Graduate candidates from SC, ST and OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) categories aged 20 to 28 years as on 01 April 2026 can apply at sbi.bank.in. Selection is through a Preliminary Examination (tentatively September 2026), Main Examination (tentatively October/November 2026) and a Local Language Proficiency Test where applicable. Starting basic pay is Rs. 26,730/- per month (with two advance increments for graduates), with total starting emoluments of approximately Rs. 46,000/- per month at metro locations.
Important Note: Four critical things every candidate must read before applying. First and most important – this is exclusively a Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies. General/UR and EWS category candidates are completely ineligible to apply under this advertisement. SC/ST/OBC category certificates are mandatory. Second, candidates can apply for vacancies in only one State/UT and can appear for the test only once under this recruitment project. The State/UT chosen at the time of application determines the merit list and local language requirement – choose carefully and do not attempt to apply for multiple states. Third, the OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate must be issued between 01 April 2026 and the date of taking up appointment – old certificates or Creamy Layer OBC certificates are not accepted. Fourth, existing SBI Clerical cadre employees and candidates who have previously resigned from SBI’s clerical cadre are not eligible to apply under this advertisement.
SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | State Bank of India (SBI), Central Recruitment and Promotion Department, Mumbai |
| Advertisement Number | CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 |
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales), Clerical Cadre |
| Nature of Drive | Special Recruitment Drive – SC/ST/OBC Backlog Vacancies ONLY |
| Total Vacancies | 1,538 (SC: 207, ST: 1,219, OBC: 112) |
| Eligible Categories | SC, ST and OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) ONLY |
| NOT Eligible | General (UR) and EWS candidates |
| Application Mode | Online only – sbi.bank.in |
| Application Opens | 07 August 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 27 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Tentatively September 2026 |
| Main Examination | Tentatively October/November 2026 |
| Job Location | 21 States/UTs (State-wise as per application) |
| Official Website | sbi.bank.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application and Fee Payment Opens | 07 August 2026 |
| Online Application and Fee Payment Last Date | 27 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Tentatively September 2026 |
| Main Examination | Tentatively October/November 2026 |
| Call Letter for Prelims | Tentatively 10 days before exam date |
| Call Letter for Mains | Tentatively 10 days before exam date |
State/UT-wise and Category-wise Vacancy Details
| Circle | State / UT | Local Language | SC | ST | OBC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaravati | Andhra Pradesh | Telugu/Urdu | – | 88 | – | 88 |
| Bengaluru | Karnataka | Kannada | 85 | 35 | – | 120 |
| Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | Hindi | – | 134 | – | 134 |
| Bhopal | Chhattisgarh | Hindi | – | 26 | – | 26 |
| Bhubaneswar | Odisha | Odia | – | 111 | – | 111 |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh UT | Hindi/Punjabi | – | – | 22 | 22 |
| Chandigarh | Jammu and Kashmir UT | Urdu/Hindi | – | 42 | – | 42 |
| Chandigarh | Himachal Pradesh | Hindi | 11 | – | – | 11 |
| Chandigarh | Punjab | Punjabi/Hindi | – | – | 18 | 18 |
| Chennai | Tamil Nadu | Tamil | 65 | – | – | 65 |
| Hyderabad | Telangana | Telugu/Urdu | – | 32 | – | 32 |
| Jaipur | Rajasthan | Hindi | 20 | 86 | – | 106 |
| Kolkata | West Bengal | Bengali/Nepali | – | – | 55 | 55 |
| Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | Hindi/Urdu | – | 31 | – | 31 |
| Maharashtra/Mumbai Metro | Maharashtra | Marathi | – | 165 | – | 165 |
| New Delhi | Delhi | Hindi | – | – | 17 | 17 |
| Gandhinagar | Gujarat | Gujarati | – | 289 | – | 289 |
| Guwahati | Assam | Assamese/Bengali/Bodo | – | 39 | – | 39 |
| Guwahati | Tripura | Bengali/Kokborok | – | 22 | – | 22 |
| Patna | Bihar | Hindi/Urdu | 12 | – | – | 12 |
| Patna | Jharkhand | Hindi/Santhali | 14 | 119 | – | 133 |
| Total | 207 | 1,219 | 112 | 1,538 |
ST dominates with 1,219 vacancies – Gujarat alone has 289 ST posts, Maharashtra 165, MP 134, Jharkhand 119, Odisha 111.
Educational Qualification
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Qualification | Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university (or equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government) |
| Qualifying Date | Must be a graduate as on 31 December 2026 |
| Final Year Students | Eligible to apply provisionally; must produce proof of passing by 31 December 2026 if provisionally selected |
| Matriculate Ex-Servicemen | Eligible if they have obtained an Indian Army Special Certificate of Education (or Navy/Air Force equivalent) after completing at least 15 years of service |
Age Limit (as on 01 April 2026)
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 20 years |
| Maximum Age | 28 years |
| Date of Birth Range | Born not earlier than 02 April 1998 and not later than 01 April 2006 (both inclusive) |
| Category | Age Relaxation | Effective Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years | 31 years |
| SC/ST | 5 years | 33 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years | 41 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 15 years | 43 years |
| Ex-Servicemen/Disabled Ex-Servicemen | Actual service period + 3 years (8 years for Disabled Ex-SM of SC/ST) | Subject to max. 50 years |
| Widows/Divorced Women/Judicially Separated Women (not remarried) | 7 years | 38 years (OBC) / 40 years (SC/ST) |
| Trained Apprentices of SBI (OBC) | 4 years | 32 years |
| Trained Apprentices of SBI (SC/ST) | 6 years | 34 years |
Cumulative age relaxation within or across categories is not available. No change in category is permitted after registration.
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen / Disabled Ex-Servicemen | Nil |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | Rs. 750/- (non-refundable) |
Fee payment through Debit Card, Credit Card or Internet Banking. Transaction charges, if any, are borne by the candidate.
Pay Scale and Salary
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Pay Scale | Rs. 24,050 – Rs. 64,480 (with annual increments as per the pay structure) |
| Starting Basic Pay | Rs. 26,730/- per month (includes 2 advance increments for graduates) |
| Total Starting Emoluments (metro city) | Approximately Rs. 46,000/- per month (inclusive of DA and other current allowances) |
| Other Benefits | PF, Pension (NPS), Medical Benefits, Leave Fare Concession and other perquisites as per SBI rules |
Selection Process
Phase I – Preliminary Examination (100 Marks, 1 Hour)
| 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 |
- Negative marking: 1/4th mark per wrong answer.
- No minimum qualifying marks for individual sections or aggregate.
- Approximately 10 times the vacancies in each category (state-wise) are shortlisted for Mains.
- Prelims marks are NOT counted for the final merit list.
Phase II – Main Examination (200 Marks, 2 Hours 40 Minutes)
| 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 and Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 Hours 40 Minutes |
- Negative marking: 1/4th mark per wrong answer.
- Minimum aggregate qualifying marks as decided by SBI.
- Only Mains marks (not Prelims) count for the final merit list.
- SBI Trained Apprentices (engagement from 01.01.2022 onward, one year branch experience completed by 27.08.2026) receive a bonus of 2.5% (5 marks out of 200) in the Main Examination.
Phase III – Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)
Applicable to candidates who have not studied the specified local language of the State/UT applied for in Class 10 or Class 12. Must be cleared before joining. Consists of Non-Verbal (Objective and Subjective passages) and Verbal components (total 50 marks). Failure to qualify the LLPT means no appointment.
Wait List
A wait list of up to 50% of vacancies (state-category wise) will be maintained for one year from the final result date, released quarterly against non-joining/resignations, subject to candidates meeting minimum qualifying marks.
How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026
- Visit the official SBI careers portal – Click Here
- Find and click on Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 – Junior Associate Special Recruitment Drive 2026.
- Download and read the detailed notification PDF before applying.
- Apply online through the direct application link – Click Here
- Register with name, valid email ID and mobile number.
- Fill in all personal, educational and category details accurately. Only one application per candidate – multiple applications result in only the last valid one being retained.
- Upload photograph, signature, left-thumb impression and handwritten declaration in the prescribed format (Annexure-II of the notification).
- Pay the fee (OBC candidates only: Rs. 750/-) through Debit Card, Credit Card or Internet Banking.
- Review all details before final submission – no corrections are allowed after submission.
- Take a printout of the system-generated application for your records.
For queries: Call 022-22820427 (11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Bank working days) or raise a query at cgrs.ibps.in mentioning “Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026” in the subject line.
Important Instructions
- General (UR) and EWS candidates are NOT eligible – this drive is exclusively for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies.
- Candidates can apply for only one State/UT and appear for the test only once.
- Existing SBI Clerical cadre employees and those who have previously resigned from SBI’s clerical cadre are not eligible.
- OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate must be issued from 01 April 2026 to the date of taking up appointment – old OBC certificates are not valid.
- The Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT) is mandatory for candidates who haven’t studied the state’s local language at Class 10 or 12 level.
- Selected candidates will be on probation for a minimum of 6 months and must complete prescribed e-lessons for confirmation.
- The role involves outdoor travelling, customer calls, cross-selling of products and flexible working hours.
- SBI does not endorse any external coaching or consultancy claiming to offer guaranteed selection – rely only on sbi.bank.in.
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Official Notification PDF | Click Here |
| SBI Careers Portal | Click Here |
| SBI Official Website | Click Here |
SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 – FAQs
Q1. What is SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) Recruitment 2026?
✅ It is a Special Recruitment Drive (Advt. No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16) by State Bank of India to fill 1538 backlog vacancies for Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales) in the Clerical Cadre, reserved exclusively for SC (207), ST (1,219) and OBC/NCL (112) candidates across 21 States and UTs.
Q2. Can General (UR) or EWS candidates apply?
✅ No. This is a Special Recruitment Drive exclusively for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) backlog vacancies. General and EWS candidates are completely ineligible to apply under this advertisement.
Q3. What is the last date to apply?
✅ The last date to submit the online application and pay the fee is 27 August 2026 at sbi.bank.in.
Q4. Which state has the highest vacancies?
✅ Gujarat has the most vacancies with 289 posts (all ST), followed by Maharashtra (165 ST), Madhya Pradesh (134 ST), Karnataka (120 – 85 SC + 35 ST), Jharkhand (133 – 14 SC + 119 ST) and Odisha (111 ST).
Q5. What is the educational qualification?
✅ Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university as on 31 December 2026. Final-year students may apply provisionally. Matriculate Ex-Servicemen with 15 years of service are also eligible.
Q6. What is the age limit?
✅ 20 to 28 years as on 01 April 2026 (DOB between 02 April 1998 and 01 April 2006, both inclusive). Relaxation: 3 years for OBC, 5 years for SC/ST, 13/15 years for PwBD (OBC/SC-ST), and more for Ex-Servicemen, Widows and SBI Trained Apprentices.
Q7. What is the application fee?
✅ Nil for SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Servicemen candidates; Rs. 750/- for OBC candidates (non-refundable). Paid online only.
Q8. What is the salary for SBI Junior Associate?
✅ Starting basic pay is Rs. 26,730/- per month (Rs. 24,050 basic plus 2 advance increments for graduates). Total starting emoluments are approximately Rs. 46,000/- per month at metro locations, inclusive of DA and other allowances, plus PF, NPS, medical benefits and LTC.
Q9. What is the selection process?
✅ Three stages – Prelims (100 Qs, 100 Marks, 1 Hour, 1/4 negative marking, qualifying only); Mains (190 Qs, 200 Marks, 2H 40M, 1/4 negative marking – marks counted for merit); and Local Language Proficiency Test (mandatory before joining if the state’s local language was not studied in Class 10/12).
Q10. Can I apply for multiple states?
✅ No. Candidates can apply for vacancies of only one State/UT and appear for the test only once under this recruitment project. The State/UT chosen at registration determines the exam, merit list, posting and local language requirement.
Disclaimer
The information above is compiled from the official SBI Junior Associate (Customer Support and Sales) Special Recruitment Drive notification (Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16), issued by the State Bank of India, Central Recruitment and Promotion Department, Mumbai, as available on the official SBI careers portal sbi.bank.in. This is a Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies only – General and EWS candidates are not eligible. Vacancy counts are provisional and may vary. Candidates are advised to download and read the complete official notification PDF from sbi.bank.in before applying. All links above lead only to the official SBI and IBPS portals.
