SBI Junior Associate Recruitment 2026: 1538 Backlog Posts
This information is from a third-party source. Always verify job details, eligibility, deadlines, and application procedures from the official government website before applying.
State Bank of India (SBI) has released Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16, a Special Recruitment Drive specifically for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) in the clerical cadre. This drive covers 1,538 posts spread across 21 States and UTs. Since this is a backlog-specific drive, it's open only to SC, ST, and OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates — General/UR candidates are not eligible to apply. Online registration and fee payment run from 7 August 2026 to 27 August 2026. Here's the complete state-wise vacancy break-up, eligibility, exam pattern, and salary details.
Table of Contents
About State Bank of India
State Bank of India, the country's largest public sector bank, runs this Special Recruitment Drive through its Central Recruitment & Promotion Department, Corporate Centre, Mumbai, specifically to fill long-pending SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies for the Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) clerical role — a customer-facing position covering banking services, advisory support, and cross-selling both inside and outside branch premises.
SBI Junior Associate Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Organization Name | State Bank of India (SBI) |
|---|---|
| Advertisement No. | CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 |
| Post Name | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) |
| Nature of Drive | Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC Backlog Vacancies only |
| Total Vacancies | 1,538 (SC-207, ST-1,219, OBC-112) |
| Cadre | Clerical |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Registration & Fee Payment Window | 7 August 2026 to 27 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam (Tentative) | September 2026 |
| Main Exam (Tentative) | October/November 2026 |
| Official Website | sbi.bank.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Registration & Fee Payment Opens | 7 August 2026 |
| Online Registration & Fee Payment Closes | 27 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Tentatively September 2026 |
| Main Examination | Tentatively October/November 2026 |
| Local Language Proficiency Test (where applicable) | After Main Exam, before joining |
Vacancy Details / State Wise Break-up
Candidates can apply for only one State/UT and must be proficient in that State's specified local language(s). Merit lists are drawn state-wise and category-wise, and selected candidates are posted only in the state they applied for.
| Circle | State/UT | Language | SC | ST | OBC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaravati | Andhra Pradesh | Telugu/Urdu | -- | 88 | -- | 88 |
| Bengaluru | Karnataka | Kannada | 85 | 35 | -- | 120 |
| Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | Hindi | -- | 134 | -- | 134 |
| Chhattisgarh | -- | 26 | -- | 26 | ||
| Bhubaneswar | Odisha | Odia | -- | 111 | -- | 111 |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh UT | Hindi/Punjabi | -- | -- | 22 | 22 |
| Jammu & Kashmir UT | Urdu/Hindi | -- | 42 | -- | 42 | |
| Himachal Pradesh | Hindi | 11 | -- | -- | 11 | |
| 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 |
| Tripura | Bengali/Kokborok | -- | 22 | -- | 22 | |
| Patna | Bihar | Hindi/Urdu | 12 | -- | -- | 12 |
| Jharkhand | Hindi/Santhali | 14 | 119 | -- | 133 | |
| Total | 207 | 1,219 | 112 | 1,538 | ||
Vacancies for Uttar Pradesh fall under the Lucknow Circle only. There's no Inter-Circle or Inter-State transfer for Junior Associates, except Intra-State transfer between Delhi Circle and Lucknow Circle (within UP), and between Mumbai Metro Circle and Maharashtra Circle (within Maharashtra). PwBD and Ex-servicemen/Disabled ex-servicemen apply under their respective parent SC/ST/OBC category, since this drive has no separate PwBD/XS vacancy pool. Vacancies are provisional and may vary based on the Bank's actual requirement.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification (as on 31-12-2026)
Graduation in any discipline from a recognized University, or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Central Government. Candidates with an Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) must ensure their IDD passing date is on or before 31 December 2026. Final-year/semester candidates may also apply provisionally, subject to producing proof of passing by 31 December 2026. Matriculate Ex-servicemen who hold an Indian Army/Navy/Air Force Special Certificate of Education, after 15+ years of Armed Forces service, are also eligible.
Who Cannot Apply
- Candidates working in SBI's Clerical cadre are not eligible.
- Candidates who were earlier employed in SBI and resigned while in the clerical cadre are not eligible.
- Candidates against whom there is an adverse report on character, antecedents, or moral turpitude are not eligible.
- OBC candidates in the "creamy layer" are not eligible — only OBC "Non-Creamy Layer" candidates can apply, and the certificate must carry the Non-Creamy Layer clause issued on or after 1 April 2026.
Local Language Requirement
Candidates must be proficient (reading, writing, speaking, understanding) in the local language specified for their applied State/UT. Those who studied the specified language at Std. X or XII level are exempt from a separate Local Language Proficiency Test; others must clear it after the Main Exam but before joining.
Age Limit & Relaxation (as on 01-04-2026)
Candidates must be between 20 and 28 years old (born not earlier than 02-04-1998 and not later than 01-04-2006).
| Category | Age 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 ExS from SC/ST), max age 50 |
| Widows/Divorced/Judicially Separated Women (not remarried) | 7 years (max 38 for OBC, 40 for SC/ST) |
| Trained Apprentices of SBI | OBC-4 yrs, SC/ST-6 yrs, PwBD(OBC)-14 yrs, PwBD(SC/ST)-16 yrs |
Cumulative age relaxation is not available across categories or in combination with other relaxation items. Category cannot be changed after registration under any circumstances.
Salary & Pay Scale
Pay Scale: ₹24,050-1340/3-28,070-1650/3-33,020-2000/4-41,020-2340/7-57,400-4400/1-61,800-2680/1-64,480
The starting Basic Pay is ₹26,730 (₹24,050 plus two advance increments admissible to graduates). Total starting emoluments for a Clerical Cadre employee at a metro like Mumbai would be around ₹46,000 per month, inclusive of DA and other current allowances, plus two additional increments for newly recruited graduate Junior Associates. Allowances vary by posting location. Selected candidates are also eligible for provident fund, Pension under the New Pension Scheme, medical benefits, Leave Fare Concession, and other perquisites as per Bank rules.
Selection Process & Exam Pattern
Selection runs through an Online Test (Preliminary + Main) followed by a 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 |
No minimum qualifying marks are prescribed for individual sections or aggregate in the Preliminary Exam — it's purely for shortlisting (approx. 10x the vacancies per category) for the Main Exam. Preliminary marks are NOT added to the final merit.
Phase-II: Main Examination (200 Marks, 2 Hrs 40 Min)
| 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 |
Both Preliminary and Main exams carry negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer. Only the Main Exam's aggregate marks count toward the final merit list, drawn state-wise and category-wise.
Phase-III: Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)
| Test Pattern | Section | Passages | Questions | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Verbal Test | Objective | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| Subjective | 3 | 15 | 15 | |
| Verbal Test | 20 |
Required only for candidates who haven't studied their applied state's specified local language at Std. X/XII level. It's conducted after provisional selection in the Main Exam, but before joining — failing it means no appointment. Trained SBI Apprentices (engaged on/after 01-01-2022, with 1 year satisfactory branch experience) get 2.5% bonus marks (5 out of 200) added to their Main Exam aggregate.
A wait list of up to 50% of vacancies (state-category wise) is maintained, valid for one year, released quarterly against non-joining/resignation from the current batch.
Application Fee (Non-Refundable)
| Category | Fee/Intimation Charges |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/PwBD/XS/DXS | Nil |
| OBC | ₹750 |
Fee is payable online only via Debit Card, Credit Card, or Internet Banking. It's non-refundable, and cannot be held in reserve for any other exam or selection.
Probation Period
Newly appointed Junior Associates serve a minimum probation of 6 months, and must complete prescribed e-lessons during this period to get confirmed — failing which the probation is extended until completion. Probation may also be extended if performance doesn't meet the Bank's expectations.
Required Documents
- One photo ID proof (Passport/Aadhaar/PAN Card/Driving Licence/Voter's Card/Bank Passbook with attested photo, or School/College Identity Card) — original plus self-attested photocopy
- Preliminary Exam call letter (authenticated/stamped by exam centre staff) — mus