SBI Junior Associate (Clerk) Special Recruitment Drive 2026 (SC/ST/OBC Backlog)

The State Bank of India (SBI) has released the SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) Special Recruitment Drive 2026 notification under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 dated 2026-08-07. This recruitment is meant to fill backlog vacancies in the clerical cadre for eligible SC, ST, and OBC candidates. Eligible applicants can apply online and must choose only one State/UT for which they will be considered.

SBI has announced a total of 1538 vacancies for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) under the special drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies. The online registration window is open from 2026-08-07 to 2026-08-27. Applications must be submitted online only through the official SBI careers website, and candidates can appear for the test only once under this recruitment project. The selection will be conducted through an Online Preliminary Examination, an Online Main Examination, and a Local Language Proficiency Test (where applicable). The Preliminary Exam is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, while the Main Exam is tentatively scheduled for October/November 2026. Candidates should regularly check SBI’s official website for updates and corrigenda.

Important Dates

Vacancy Details

The special recruitment drive covers backlog vacancies reserved for SC, ST, and OBC candidates across different Circles/States/UTs and local languages. As per the notification, candidates applying for a particular State/UT must be proficient in the specified local language for that State/UT. The table below shows the State/UT-wise vacancy distribution provided in the notification.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university. The qualification must be held as on 2026-12-31. Candidates who are in the final year/semester of their graduation may apply provisionally, provided they can produce proof of passing on or before 2026-12-31.

Age Limit

Candidates must not be below 20 years and not above 28 years as on 2026-04-01. This means the candidate’s date of birth should be not earlier than 1998-04-02 and not later than 2006-04-01 (both dates inclusive).

The notification also provides category-wise age relaxation. The relaxation applies as per the candidate’s category, and the notification states that cumulative age relaxation is not available under a combination of items.

Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee/intimation charge is applicable based on category and must be paid online only.

How to Apply

1. Visit SBI’s official careers page: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings and locate the Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026.
2. Download and read Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 carefully before starting the application.
3. Complete the online registration and fill the application form with accurate personal and academic details.
4. Upload the required scanned documents as per the prescribed specifications, including photograph, signature, left hand thumb impression, and the handwritten declaration.
5. Pay the application fee (if applicable) through online mode using debit card, credit card, or Internet Banking.
6. Review and verify all details carefully before final submission, as no correction is allowed after submission.
7. After submission, take a printout of the system-generated application form for personal records (do not send it to SBI).
8. For queries, contact 022-22820427 between 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on bank working days, or lodge a query at http://cgrs.ibps.in.

Salary & Pay Scale

The pay scale for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) is provided as 24050-1340/3-28070-1650/3-33020-2000/4-41020-2340/7-57400-4400/1-61800-2680/1-64480. The notification also indicates that the starting basic pay is Rs. 26730 and total starting emoluments are around Rs. 46000 per month at a metro city like Mumbai (inclusive of DA and other allowances).

Selection Process

The selection for SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) under the Special Recruitment Drive 2026 will be carried out through three stages: an Online Preliminary Examination, an Online Main Examination, and a Local Language Proficiency Test (where applicable). The notification also provides the exam pattern for both online examinations, including section-wise question counts, maximum marks, and duration.

Exam Pattern (as per notification)

Phase I: Preliminary Examination

Phase II: Main Examination

If you meet the eligibility requirements for graduation and age as on 2026-04-01, submit your online application for SBI Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) under the Special Recruitment Drive 2026 before 2026-08-27 on the official SBI careers website.