Banking

SBI Clerk Examination (Junior Associate)

State Bank of India (SBI)

Post: Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)

Last updated 04 Sep 2026

Notification Summary

The SBI Clerk 2026 notification for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) has not yet been published. As of 3 August 2026 the official SBI careers portal lists no open Junior Associate advertisement — only results and waitlists from the completed 2025-26 cycle under advertisement CRPD/CR/2025-26/06.

Coaching and exam-tracking sources expect the fresh notification in the first half of August 2026, with the online application window likely to run for about three weeks from the release date, and expected vacancies in the range of 12,500 to 13,500 posts across SBI circles. These figures are projections based on previous cycles and are not confirmed by SBI. Treat them as indicative until the official advertisement is published.

State Bank of India recruits Junior Associates every year for clerical posts across its branch network. Recruitment is circle-wise and state-wise, and candidates apply for a specific circle, so vacancy counts and cut-offs differ substantially from one state to another. Proficiency in the local language of the chosen circle is a mandatory requirement and is tested after selection.

For the 2025-26 cycle, preliminary and main results have been declared and three waitlists have been announced. Candidates from that cycle should check the official portal for waitlist movement.

Eligibility

Educational qualification: A Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government. Candidates in the final year or final semester of graduation may apply provisionally, subject to producing proof of graduation by the date specified in the notification.

Local language requirement: Candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and understanding the specified opted local language of the circle they apply to. This is verified after final selection, and candidates who cannot demonstrate proficiency in the local language proficiency test are not retained. Candidates who studied the local language up to Class 10 and can produce a marksheet are generally exempted from the separate test.

Nationality: A citizen of India; or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan; or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently; or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from a specified country intending to settle permanently in India.

Candidates may apply for vacancies in one circle only. Applying to more than one circle results in rejection of all applications.

Age Limit

20 – 28 years

The base age band for Junior Associate is 20 to 28 years, reckoned as on the cut-off date stated in the official advertisement. Upper age limit relaxations:

SC / ST — 5 years
OBC (non-creamy layer) — 3 years
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (General / EWS) — 10 years
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (OBC) — 13 years
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (SC / ST) — 15 years
Ex-servicemen — as per Government of India rules
Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated who have not remarried — 7 years

The exact cut-off date for age calculation changes each cycle and will be confirmed in the 2026 advertisement when it is released.

Expected Salary

₹24,000 – ₹46,000

Junior Associates are appointed in the clerical cadre. Starting basic pay is approximately Rs. 24,050 per month, with the pay scale progressing through annual increments. Graduates typically receive two additional increments at entry.

In addition to basic pay, employees receive Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Transport Allowance, medical benefits and provident fund. Gross monthly emoluments generally work out to roughly Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 46,000 depending on the city classification of the posting, with metro postings at the upper end.

There is no bond or service agreement for Junior Associates, but candidates are ordinarily posted within the circle they applied to. Confirm the exact pay scale and allowances in the official notification when it is published.

Selection Process

Selection is a two-stage written process followed by a language test.

STAGE 1 — PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION (100 marks, qualifying only)
Objective online test of 1 hour, with a separate 20-minute limit for each section:
English Language — 30 questions, 30 marks
Numerical Ability — 35 questions, 35 marks
Reasoning Ability — 35 questions, 35 marks
Preliminary marks are used only for shortlisting and do not count towards the final merit list.

STAGE 2 — MAIN EXAMINATION (200 marks)
Objective online test of 190 questions across four sections, 2 hours 40 minutes:
General / Financial Awareness — 50 questions, 50 marks, 35 minutes
General English — 40 questions, 40 marks, 35 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude — 50 questions, 50 marks, 45 minutes
Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude — 50 questions, 60 marks, 45 minutes

LOCAL LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST
Candidates provisionally selected on the basis of the main examination must qualify a test in the opted local language of their circle. Candidates who produce a Class 10 marksheet showing the local language as a studied subject are generally exempted. Candidates who fail this test are not appointed.

NEGATIVE MARKING — 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer in both the preliminary and main examinations. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.

FINAL MERIT — Prepared from the main examination score alone, normalised where applicable. There is no interview for the Junior Associate post.

Application Fee

Based on the previous recruitment cycle, the fee structure is expected to be:

General / OBC / EWS — Rs. 750 per application
SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-servicemen — Nil, fully exempted

The fee is non-refundable and is paid online during registration. These amounts are carried over from the last cycle and will be confirmed when the 2026 advertisement is published.

Qualifications

Graduate

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the SBI Clerk 2026 notification be released?

As of 3 August 2026 the notification has not been published. The official SBI careers portal currently shows no open Junior Associate advertisement, only results and waitlists from the 2025-26 cycle. Exam-tracking sources expect the release in the first half of August 2026, but no date has been confirmed by SBI.

How many vacancies are expected in SBI Clerk 2026?

Projections from previous cycles point to roughly 12,500 to 13,500 Junior Associate posts across SBI circles. This is an estimate and not an official figure. The confirmed vacancy count, broken down circle-wise and category-wise, will appear in the official advertisement.

Who is eligible to apply for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

A Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, with applicants ordinarily between 20 and 28 years of age as on the cut-off date before relaxations. Candidates must also be proficient in the local language of the circle they apply to, and may apply for one circle only.

What is the selection process for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

A qualifying preliminary examination of 100 marks, followed by a main examination of 200 marks which alone decides the merit list, followed by a local language proficiency test for provisionally selected candidates. There is no interview for this post.

Is there an interview in the SBI Clerk selection process?

No. The Junior Associate final merit list is prepared from the main examination score alone. The only post-mains requirement is the local language proficiency test, which is qualifying rather than scored.

What is the SBI Clerk local language proficiency test?

Candidates must be able to read, write, speak and understand the specified local language of the circle they applied to. Those who studied the language up to Class 10 and can produce the marksheet are usually exempted from a separate test. Candidates who cannot demonstrate proficiency are not appointed, even after clearing the mains.

Can I apply for SBI Clerk in more than one circle?

No. Applications are circle-specific and a candidate may apply to only one circle in a given cycle. Submitting applications for more than one circle leads to rejection of all of them, so choose the circle carefully with the local language requirement in mind.

Is there negative marking in the SBI Clerk exam?

Yes. One-fourth of a mark, that is 0.25, is deducted for every wrong answer in both the preliminary and main examinations. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.

What is the age limit for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

Applicants must be between 20 and 28 years of age. The base age band for Junior Associate is 20 to 28 years, reckoned as on the cut-off date stated in the official advertisement. Upper age limit relaxations: SC / ST — 5 years OBC (non-creamy layer) — 3 years Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (General / EWS) — 10 years Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (OBC) — 13 years Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (SC / ST) — 15 years Ex-servicemen — as per Government of India rules Widows, divorced women and women judicially separated who have not remarried — 7 years The exact cut-off date for age calculation changes each cycle and will be confirmed in the 2026 advertisement when it is released.

What is the salary for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

The indicative monthly pay is ₹24,000 to ₹46,000. Confirm the exact pay scale in the official notification.

What is the application fee for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

Based on the previous recruitment cycle, the fee structure is expected to be: General / OBC / EWS — Rs. 750 per application SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-servicemen — Nil, fully exempted The fee is non-refundable and is paid online during registration. These amounts are carried over from the last cycle and will be confirmed when the 2026 advertisement is published.

How do I apply for Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)?

Applications are submitted online on the official website (https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings). Read the official notification in full before applying.