SBI Junior Associates (Clerk) Recruitment 2026: Detailed Syllabus and Exam Pattern
The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the recruitment notification for the position of Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) as part of a Special Recruitment Drive aimed at filling SC/ST/OBC Backlog Vacancies under Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16. The online registration period is from 7 August 2026 to 27 August 2026. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the exam pattern for both Prelims and Mains, details about the Local Language Proficiency Test, the marking scheme, and the selection procedure in accordance with the official notification.
Note on Syllabus: The official notification outlines the various test sections, along with the number of questions, marks, and duration for each stage. However, it does not include a topic-specific syllabus. Where sub-topics are mentioned in this article, they are intended as a general guide rather than an officially documented syllabus. Any absence of detail in the notification will be clearly stated.
SBI Junior Associates (Clerk) Syllabus 2026 - Quick Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | State Bank of India (SBI) |
| Post | Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) |
| Recruitment Type | Special Recruitment Drive for SC/ST/OBC Backlog Vacancies |
| Advertisement No. | CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16 |
| Total Vacancies | 1,538 (SC: 207, ST: 1,219, OBC: 112) |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Selection Stages | Preliminary Exam → Main Exam → Local Language Proficiency Test |
| Official Website | https://sbi.bank.in/ |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Start of online registration and fee payment | 7 August 2026 |
| Last date for online registration and fee payment | 27 August 2026 |
| Preliminary Examination | Tentatively in September 2026 |
| Main Examination | Tentatively in October/November 2026 |
It is important to note that these exam dates are provisional. Candidates are encouraged to frequently visit the official careers page for updates on the confirmed schedule and the issuance of call letters.
SBI Junior Associate Exam Pattern 2026
The selection procedure comprises three phases: the Preliminary Examination, the Main Examination, and a Local Language Proficiency Test (if required). Both online tests incur a penalty for incorrect answers, with a deduction of 1/4 mark for each wrong answer.
Phase I: Preliminary Examination Pattern
In the Prelims, candidates will face an objective test totaling 100 marks, to be completed within a duration of 1 hour. This phase is divided into three timed sections. There are no sectional cut-offs; candidates will be shortlisted for Mains based on overall scores (approximately ten times the number of vacancies in each category, based on availability).
| S.No. | Test Name | Medium of Exam | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English Language | English | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| 2 | Numerical Ability | English/Hindi (based on state) | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| 3 | Reasoning Ability | English/Hindi (based on state) | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 Hour |
Phase II: Main Examination Pattern
The Main Exam features an objective test with a total of 200 marks, which lasts for 2 hours and 40 minutes, and comprises four separate timed sections. Only scores from the Main Examination will be taken into account for the final merit list; Prelims marks do not contribute.
| S.No. | Test Name | Medium of Exam | No. of Questions | Max. Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General/Financial Awareness | English/Hindi (based on state) | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes |
| 2 | General English | English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | English/Hindi (based on state) | 50 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| 4 | Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | English/Hindi (based on state) | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 Hr. 40 min. |
Applicants are required to achieve the minimum qualifying marks set by the Bank; there are no designated sectional qualifying marks, and scores are not tracked separately by section.
Phase III: Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT)
Those candidates who are provisionally selected but did not study the necessary local language in Class 10 or 12 must take the LLPT after passing the Main Exam but before joining. Candidates who provide a mark sheet from Class 10 or 12 indicating the local language as a subject are exempt from this requirement.
| S.No. | Test Pattern | Section | No. of Passages | No. of Questions | Max. Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-Verbal Test | Objective | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| 1 | Non-Verbal Test | Subjective | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | Verbal Test | - | - | 20 | - |
Candidates who do not pass the LLPT will not be granted an appointment.
SBI Junior Associate Syllabus 2026 (Section-wise Guide)
The notification does not offer an exhaustive, topic-wise syllabus but rather lists the test sections mentioned previously. The following is a general outline of the areas commonly covered in this type of clerical-cadre banking exam, and it should be treated as a basic study guide rather than an official syllabus.
Prelims Sections
- English Language: This includes reading comprehension, cloze tests, paragraph rearrangement, error detection, fill-in-the-blanks, and vocabulary-related questions.
- Numerical Ability: This covers simplifications, number series, quadratic equations, data interpretations, and various arithmetic problems such as percentages, profit and loss, averages, ratios, time and work, and simple/compound interest.
- Reasoning Ability: This involves puzzles, seating arrangements, syllogisms, inequalities, coding-decoding, blood relationships, direction sense, and alphanumeric sequences.
Mains Sections
- General/Financial Awareness: Concentrates on current events, banking, financial knowledge, and static general awareness.
- General English: Evaluates comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, and paragraph-based questions at a slightly higher difficulty level compared to the Prelims.
- Quantitative Aptitude: Encompasses data interpretation, data sufficiency, arithmetic word problems, number series, and simplification or approximation.
- Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude: This comprises advanced puzzles and seating arrangements, logical reasoning, and fundamental computer knowledge, including basics, MS Office, internet usage, and banking-related terms.
How to Apply
- Visit the official SBI careers page: https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings.
- Locate and click on the "Special Recruitment Drive for Junior Associates 2026" link.
- Download and carefully examine Advertisement No. CRPD/CR/SPLDRIVE/2026-27/16.
- Register online using an active email ID and mobile number.
- Complete the application form and upload the required documents along with a scanned photograph, signature, left thumb impression, and hand-written declaration.
- Pay the application fee (if applicable) using a debit card, credit card, or internet banking.
- Submit the form and save or print the system-generated application form for future reference (note that this printout should not be sent to SBI).
Important Instructions
- Candidates are allowed to apply for vacancies in only one State/UT and may participate in the test only once during this recruitment initiative.
- Transfers across Circles or States are not permissible except for intra-state transfers between the Delhi Circle & Lucknow Circle (Uttar Pradesh) and between the Mumbai Metro Circle & Maharashtra Circle (Maharashtra), in line with the Bank's current policies.
- No changes or corrections to submitted application details, including category, will be processed under any circumstances.
- Items such as mobile phones, smartwatches, calculators, and similar devices are strictly prohibited in examination venues.
- A waitlist of up to 50% of vacancies (organized by state and category) will be maintained and updated quarterly, remaining valid for one year from the final result declaration date.
- SBI retains the authority to halt the recruitment process at any stage.
- SBI has made it clear that it does not endorse any external coaching platforms or consultancies claiming to guarantee selection; candidates should rely solely on the official career portal.
SBI Junior Associates (Clerk) Syllabus 2026 - Important Links
- Check SBI Junior Associates (Clerk) Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026: https://sbi.bank.in/webfiles/uploads/files_2627/08/JA_2026_Backlog_Detailed_Advt_ENG.pdf
- Visit Official Website: https://onlinesbi.sbi.bank.in/
SBI Junior Associates (Clerk) Syllabus 2026 - FAQs
What is the exam pattern for SBI Junior Associate Prelims 2026?
The Prelims exam consists of 100 objective questions for a total of 100 marks. It includes sections on English Language (30 marks), Numerical Ability (35 marks), and Reasoning Ability (35 marks), all to be completed within an hour, with each section allotted 20 minutes.
What is the exam pattern for SBI Junior Associate Mains 2026?
The Main Exam contains 190 objective questions totaling 200 marks, comprising sections on General/Financial Awareness (50 marks), General English (40 marks), Quantitative Aptitude (50 marks), and Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude (60 marks), completed in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Is there negative marking in the SBI Junior Associate exam?
Yes, there is a penalty for incorrect answers in both the Preliminary and Main Examinations, wherein 1/4 of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for wrong responses.
Does the SBI notification provide a detailed topic-wise syllabus?
No, the official notification only outlines the test sections, number of questions, marking schemes, and duration for each phase, without providing a topic-specific syllabus.
Are Prelims marks counted in the final merit list?
No, the final merit list is prepared solely based on the aggregate marks obtained in the Main Examination; Prelims scores are utilized only for candidate shortlisting for Mains.