SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026: Exam Expected in September, Official Schedule Awaited

Candidates who applied for the SBI Clerk 2026 recruitment are now waiting for the most important update — the exam date. The State Bank of India is expected to conduct the SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026 for the post of Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) in September 2026, as indicated in the official recruitment notification. However, SBI is yet to announce the exact SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Date 2026 and the shift-wise schedule.

The SBI Clerk 2026 online application window closed on August 31, 2026, and candidates who successfully submitted their forms can now expect updates on the prelims exam dates, admit card and test-centre details. With the exam likely just weeks away, here's everything applicants need to know about the expected SBI Clerk Exam Date 2026, the vacancy and backlog break-up, the exam pattern and the selection process.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026: Key Details

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Date 2026: What's Confirmed and What's Not

As per the official notification, the SBI Clerk Prelims Exam 2026 is tentatively scheduled for September 2026, while the Main Examination is expected in November 2026. SBI has not yet specified the exact dates or the shift-wise schedule in the notification.

Some media reports have circulated tentative dates — such as September 16 for backlog vacancies and September 26, 27 and October 3 for regular vacancies, with the Mains around November 23, 2026 — but these figures vary across sources and should not be treated as final. The confirmed shift-wise schedule for both stages will be released by SBI along with the respective admit cards. Candidates are advised to rely only on the official SBI Careers portal for the actual SBI Clerk Exam Date 2026.

SBI Clerk Vacancy 2026 and Backlog Notification 2026

Under this recruitment, SBI has announced a total of 9,766 Junior Associate vacancies — one of the largest counts in recent SBI Clerk cycles. As per the official vacancy table, this comprises:

• 7,680 regular vacancies, and

• 2,086 backlog vacancies (including 287 SC/ST/OBC, 355 PwBD and 1,444 XS/DXS posts).

The SBI Clerk backlog notification 2026 vacancies are listed separately from the regular posts, and the notification clarifies that the SC/ST/OBC backlog figures are net of vacancies already advertised under an earlier Special Recruitment Drive. Candidates can apply for vacancies in only one State or Union Territory and must meet the specified local language requirement for that State/UT.

SBI Clerk 2026 Eligibility (In Brief)

• Age limit: 20 to 28 years as on April 1, 2026, with age relaxation for reserved categories as per rules.

• Qualification: A graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university; final-year students may apply provisionally.

• Language: Proficiency in the local language of the chosen State/UT is required.

SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The Preliminary Examination is conducted online and consists of 100 questions carrying 100 marks, to be completed in 60 minutes, with separate sectional timing for each of the three sections:

Because each section has its own time limit, candidates should focus on both accuracy and speed within the sectional time. The prelims is a qualifying stage, and shortlisted candidates advance to the Mains.

SBI Clerk Mains Exam Date 2026 and Pattern

The SBI Clerk Mains exam date 2026 is tentatively in November 2026 (exact date to be confirmed by SBI). The Main Examination is conducted online and typically follows this structure:

Marks scored in the Mains are counted for the final merit. Candidates should verify the exact pattern and timings from the official notification and admit card.

SBI Clerk Selection Process 2026

The SBI Clerk recruitment for Junior Associates involves:

1. Preliminary Examination (qualifying)

2. Main Examination (decides merit)

3. Local Language Proficiency Test (LLPT) — candidates must fulfil the local language requirement of the State/UT applied for.

SBI Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2026

The SBI Clerk Prelims admit card 2026 is expected to be released shortly before the exam. Candidates who completed the application successfully will be able to download their prelims call letter from the SBI Careers portal using their registration credentials. The admit card will carry the candidate's name and roll number, exam date and shift, exam centre and address, reporting time, and exam-day instructions.

SBI Clerk Salary 2026

Selected candidates draw a starting basic pay of around ₹26,730, with an approximate in-hand salary of ₹46,000 per month, along with applicable allowances and benefits.

Direct Links

• SBI Clerk 2026 Notification PDF: [insert live link]

• SBI Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2026 (active before exam): [insert live link]

• Official website: https://sbi.co.in/web/careers