SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Notification Out for 1538 SC/ST/OBC Backlog Posts — Eligibility, Exam Pattern & How to Apply

The State Bank of India has released the SBI Clerk 2026 notification, officially a special recruitment drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) in the clerical cadre. This is a dedicated drive to fill long-pending backlog vacancies reserved for these categories; it is not the regular annual SBI Clerk recruitment cycle, though the post itself (commonly called “SBI Clerk”) is the same one.

Advertisement No.: CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16

Is SBI Clerk 2026 the Same as This Backlog Recruitment?

Yes and no. The post is the same — Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales), commonly called “SBI Clerk.” But this particular notification (Advt No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16) is a one-time Special Recruitment Drive limited to SC, ST, and OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates only, meant to fill backlog vacancies pending from earlier recruitment cycles. It is not the regular, annual SBI Clerk recruitment that’s open to all categories including General and EWS. If you don’t belong to SC/ST/OBC, you’ll need to wait for SBI’s next general clerk notification instead.

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Key Dates

The SBI has announced the backlog recruitment of 1538 posts and the online registration has started on the 7 August

Event	Date
Online registration & fee payment starts	07 August 2026
Online registration & fee payment closes	27 August 2026
Preliminary Examination (tentative)	September 2026
Main Examination (tentative)	October/November 2026

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Details: 1538 Posts

This drive is exclusively for SC, ST, and OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates. General category or EWS candidates are not eligible under this specific project.

Category	Vacancies
SC	207
ST	1219
OBC	112
Total	1538

Vacancies are spread across 21 states/UTs, each tied to a specific local language the candidate must be proficient in. Some of the largest vacancy pools are Gujarat (289, Gujarati), Maharashtra (165, Marathi), Madhya Pradesh (134, Hindi), Odisha (111, Odia), and Bengaluru/Karnataka (120, Kannada). The full state-wise, category-wise table is in the official PDF.

Important: You can apply for only one State/UT, and there is generally no inter-circle or inter-state transfer later (except a limited exception between Delhi–Lucknow circles in UP, and Mumbai Metro–Maharashtra circles).

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 State-wise Vacancy Breakdown

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 & 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	1219	112	1538

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit (as on 01.04.2026)

• Minimum 20 years, maximum 28 years
• Born between 02.04.1998 and 01.04.2006 (both dates inclusive)

Age Relaxation

Category	Relaxation
OBC	3 years
SC/ST	5 years
PwBD (OBC)	13 years
PwBD (SC/ST)	15 years
Ex-Servicemen/Disabled Ex-Servicemen	Service rendered + 3 years (8 years for disabled SC/ST ex-servicemen), max age 50
Widows/divorced/judicially separated women (not remarried)	7 years (max 38 for OBC, 40 for SC/ST)
Trained SBI Apprentices	OBC – 4 yrs, SC/ST – 6 yrs, PwBD(OBC) – 14 yrs, PwBD(SC/ST) – 16 yrs

Note: cumulative relaxation across multiple categories is not allowed.

Educational Qualification (as on 31.12.2026)

• Graduation in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government
• Final-year/final-semester students may apply provisionally, subject to producing proof of passing by 31.12.2026
• Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) holders must ensure the IDD passing date is on or before 31.12.2026

Who Cannot Apply

• Candidates currently working in SBI’s clerical cadre
• Candidates who previously resigned from SBI while in the clerical cadre
• Candidates with adverse reports on character/antecedents or moral turpitude

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Application Fee

Category	Fee
SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Servicemen/Disabled Ex-Servicemen	Nil
OBC	₹750 (non-refundable)

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Selection Process

Selection is a three-phase process: Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Local Language Proficiency Test (where applicable).

Phase I: Preliminary Examination (100 marks, 1 hour)

Test	Questions	Marks	Duration
English Language	30	30	20 min
Numerical Ability	35	35	20 min
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 min
Total	100	100	1 hour

There’s a negative marking of ¼ mark per wrong answer. No individual sectional cutoff — only aggregate matters. Roughly 10 times the number of vacancies (category-wise) are shortlisted for the Main Exam.

Phase II: Main Examination (200 marks, 2 hours 40 minutes)

Test	Questions	Marks	Duration
General/Financial Awareness	50	50	35 min
General English	40	40	35 min
Quantitative Aptitude	50	50	45 min
Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude	50	60	45 min
Total	190	200	2 hr 40 min

Only the Main Exam score counts toward the final merit list — Prelims marks are used only for shortlisting, not added to the final score. Negative marking of ¼ mark per wrong answer applies here too.

Trained SBI apprentices get a 2.5% bonus (5 out of 200 marks) added to their aggregate, subject to conditions.

Phase III: Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)

Candidates who didn’t study the applied state’s specified local language in Class 10 or 12 must clear this test after provisional selection but before joining. It has a non-verbal test (30 marks) and a verbal test (20 marks). Failing this test means no appointment, regardless of Main Exam performance.

Merit List & Waitlist

The final merit list is prepared state-wise and category-wise based purely on Main Exam marks. A waitlist of up to 50% of vacancies is maintained and released quarterly against non-joining/resignations, valid for one year.

SBI Clerk Syllabus 2026 (Topic-wise)

Preliminary Exam Syllabus

• English Language: Reading comprehension, cloze test, para jumbles, error spotting, sentence improvement, fill in the blanks, vocabulary (synonyms/antonyms)
• Numerical Ability: Simplification, number series, quadratic equations, data interpretation (tables, bar/line/pie charts), average, ratio & proportion, percentage, profit & loss, simple/compound interest, time & work, time & distance, mixtures & alligations
• Reasoning Ability: Puzzles and seating arrangement (linear, circular, floor-based), syllogism, inequality, blood relations, direction sense, coding-decoding, alphanumeric series, ranking/order

Main Exam Syllabus

• General/Financial Awareness: Current affairs (last 6–8 months), banking awareness (RBI policies, monetary tools, banking terms), static GK (capitals, currencies, headquarters), financial awareness (budget, economic survey, government schemes)
• General English: All Prelims topics at a higher difficulty, plus sentence correction, phrase replacement, and comprehension-based vocabulary
• Quantitative Aptitude: All Prelims topics at higher difficulty, plus data sufficiency, caselet-based DI, probability, permutation & combination, mensuration
• Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude: Advanced puzzles/seating arrangement, input-output, data sufficiency, logical reasoning (statement-conclusion, courses of action); Computer Aptitude covers basics of hardware/software, MS Office, internet, computer abbreviations, and history of computers

Local Language Proficiency Test

Tests reading comprehension and basic grammar in the state’s specified local language through non-verbal (objective + subjective passages) and verbal sections — this is a qualifying test only, with no impact on merit ranking.

SBI Clerk Pay Scale & Emoluments

Pay Scale: ₹24050-1340/3-28070-1650/3-33020-2000/4-41020-2340/7-57400-4400/1-61800-2680/1-64480

• Starting Basic Pay: ₹26,730 (₹24,050 + two advance increments for graduates)
• Total starting emoluments in a metro like Mumbai: approximately ₹46,000/month, inclusive of DA and other allowances, plus two additional increments for newly recruited graduate Junior Associates
• Additional benefits: Provident Fund, Pension under the New Pension Scheme, medical benefits, leave-fare concession, and other perquisites as per Bank rules

SBI Clerk Probation Period

Selected candidates serve a minimum 6-month probation, extendable if e-lesson completion or performance criteria aren’t met.

How to Apply for SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026

1. Visit https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings
2. Locate “Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026”
3. Register with a valid email ID and mobile number
4. Fill in personal, educational, and category details carefully, no corrections allowed after final submission
5. Upload scanned photograph, signature, left thumb impression, and handwritten declaration as per specified size/format
6. Pay the application fee online (SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS: nil; OBC: ₹750) via debit card, credit card, or internet banking
7. Submit and print the application for your records (do not send it to SBI)

Documents to Keep Ready

• Recent passport-style colour photograph (200×230 px, 20–50 KB)
• Signature scan (140×60 px, 10–20 KB)
• Left thumb impression scan (240×240 px, 20–50 KB)
• Handwritten declaration in English, in the exact prescribed format (800×400 px, 50–100 KB)
• Category/caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC non-creamy layer, as applicable) at the time of joining/verification

SBI Clerk Recruitment 2026 Exam Centres

SBI has listed tentative Prelim and Main exam centres across all states, for example, Mumbai/Thane/Navi Mumbai/MMR and Pune/Nashik/Nagpur for Maharashtra; Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar, Surat/Bardoli, and Rajkot for Gujarat; and Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur for Madhya Pradesh. The Bank reserves the right to change, cancel, or reassign centres.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as the regular SBI Clerk recruitment?

No. This is a separate, one-time Special Recruitment Drive specifically to fill SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies (Advt No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16).

Can General category candidates apply?

No, this drive is exclusively for SC, ST, and OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates.

Do I need to know the local language of the state I’m applying to?

You must either have studied that language at Class 10/12 level, or clear the Local Language Proficiency Test after provisional selection, before joining.

Is there negative marking?

Yes, ¼ mark is deducted for each wrong answer in both the Preliminary and Main exams.

Can I transfer to another state/circle after joining?

Generally no, except a specific intra-state provision between Delhi and Lucknow circles (UP) and between Mumbai Metro and Maharashtra circles.

Where do I apply?

Only online, at https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings. SBI does not endorse any coaching platform or agent claiming to guarantee selection.