SBI Clerk 2026: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
SBI Clerk is the State Bank of India's recruitment of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales), the clerical cadre, filled State by State. The 2026 cycle runs under advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17: registration closed on 31 August 2026, and on 20 October 2026 the SBI careers page shows the Preliminary Examination call letter for download. This guide covers the SBI Clerk 2026 exam dates, the exam pattern of both stages, the syllabus, how to apply in the next cycle, and a plan for the weeks before the Main Examination.
SBI Clerk at a glance
| Conducting body | State Bank of India, Central Recruitment & Promotion Department |
| What it is for | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) posts, applied for State-wise |
| Mode | Online test at an examination centre |
| Stages | Preliminary (100 marks), Main (200 marks), Local Language Proficiency Test where needed |
| Preliminary | 100 questions, 1 hour, three tests of 20 minutes each |
| Main | 190 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Marking | 1/4 of the question's mark taken off for a wrong answer, in both stages |
| Languages | English tests in English; Prelims Numerical and Reasoning in English, Hindi and the State's listed languages |
| How often | One recruitment per advertisement; the 2026 one opened on 11 August 2026 |
| Official website | sbi.co.in/web/careers |
SBI Clerk 2026 exam date
What the official pages say (checked 20 October 2026):
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration and fee | 11 August to 31 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Tentatively September 2026, as the advertisement says. The Preliminary call letter is available on the careers page |
| Main Examination | Tentatively November 2026, as the advertisement says. No exact date posted yet |
The SBI current openings page also shows a Main Examination on 29 October 2026, but that notice belongs to a separate Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC backlog vacancies (CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16), not to this Junior Associate recruitment. The advertisement says Main call letters can be downloaded about ten days before the exam date, so watch that page and your registered email. We keep the dates we have checked on our SBI Clerk exam dates page.
How to apply for SBI Clerk
Registration for 2026 has closed. The next cycle will follow the same steps, but read its own advertisement:
- Open the SBI careers current openings page and find "Recruitment of Junior Associates". Read the detailed advertisement first.
- Check eligibility. In 2026: age 20 to 28 on 1 April 2026 (relaxations in the advertisement), graduation in any discipline by 31 December 2026, and the ability to read, write, speak and understand the local language of the State you choose. You apply for one State or Union Territory only.
- Scan your photograph, signature, left thumb impression and the hand-written declaration to the sizes in the advertisement's annexure.
- Register, fill the form (you can save and finish it later), and pay online. For 2026 the fee was Rs 750 for General, OBC and EWS candidates and nil for SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen.
- Print the application and keep the registration number and password: you need them for call letters.
Keep ready: a working email and mobile number, your degree certificate or mark sheet, category and PwBD certificates in the government format, and your Class 10 or 12 proof of the local language (it can save you the language test).
SBI Clerk exam pattern
From advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 and the Preliminary acquaint-yourself booklet:
| Stage and test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims: English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 min |
| Prelims: Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Prelims: Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 min |
| Mains: General/Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 min |
| Mains: General English | 40 | 40 | 35 min |
| Mains: Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 min |
| Mains: Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 min |
Each test has its own timer and each Preliminary question has five options. The Bank sets no minimum marks for a Preliminary test or the Preliminary total; about ten times the vacancies are called for the Main by aggregate marks. In the Main you must reach a minimum aggregate percentage that the Bank decides, and only Main marks make the merit list. Candidates without Class 10 or 12 study of the local language take a qualifying Local Language Proficiency Test before joining.
SBI Clerk syllabus
The advertisement names the tests but does not print a topic list. The booklet's sample types and the usual scope are:
- English Language: grammar, error spotting, sentence completion, vocabulary, reading comprehension.
- Numerical Ability / Quantitative Aptitude: simplification, number series, percentages, ratio, profit and loss, interest, time and work, speed, tables and graphs. No calculator.
- Reasoning: puzzles and seating, syllogism, coding, inequality, blood relation, direction; in the Main, also computer basics.
- General/Financial Awareness (Main only): current affairs, banking and financial terms, static GK.
The topic-by-topic list is on our SBI Clerk syllabus page.
A plan for the weeks before the Main
If you have taken the Preliminary, start Main preparation now rather than waiting for the result:
- Weeks 1 to 2: General/Financial Awareness every day (the last six months of banking and economy news, plus static GK). This test is 50 marks in 35 minutes and rewards steady reading more than practice.
- Weeks 3 to 4: one timed Quantitative Aptitude set and one Reasoning set daily, mostly data interpretation and long puzzles, since the Main has fewer quick questions than the Preliminary.
- Week 5 onwards: two full Main-length sittings a week, timed to the 35-35-45-45 split, and an analysis of each one the next day using our mock analysis method.
If you are preparing for the next cycle instead, take a full SBI Clerk Preliminary mock test first to see where you stand, then work on whichever 20-minute test held you back. With 1/4 taken off for a wrong answer, read when guessing pays before you set a target attempt count.
Useful links
- SBI careers: current openings (apply, call letters, notices)
- Advertisement CRPD/CR/2026-27/17 and the Preliminary acquaint-yourself booklet
- Free SBI Clerk mock tests
- SBI Clerk syllabus
- SBI Clerk exam dates
- SBI PO vs IBPS PO, if you are weighing the officer route as well
- RBI Assistant 2026 guide, a clerical exam with the same Preliminary shape
Frequently asked questions
When is the SBI Clerk Mains exam in 2026?
The advertisement says the Main Examination is tentatively in November 2026. As of 20 October 2026 SBI has not posted an exact date for this recruitment; the 29 October 2026 Main date on the careers page is for a separate special drive.
Is there negative marking in SBI Clerk?
Yes. In both the Preliminary and the Main, a wrong answer costs one fourth of the mark assigned to that question. An unanswered question scores nothing.
What is the SBI Clerk Prelims pass mark?
There is no fixed pass mark. The Bank sets no minimum for any Preliminary test or the total, and shortlists about ten times the vacancies for the Main by aggregate marks, category-wise.
Do Prelims marks count in the SBI Clerk final merit?
No. Only Main Examination marks are used for the merit list. The Preliminary only decides who sits the Main.
What is the age limit for SBI Clerk 2026?
20 to 28 years on 1 April 2026, that is, born between 2 April 1998 and 1 April 2006, with the relaxations in the advertisement for reserved categories and others.
Can I write SBI Clerk in Hindi?
In the Preliminary, Numerical Ability and Reasoning are offered in English and Hindi for every State, plus the State's other listed languages. The English tests are in English only. For the Main, check the medium list for your State in the advertisement.