A good fit if you...
- Want a bank job in your home state with SBI.
- Prefer a process without an interview.
- Enjoy helping customers.
Banking · Clerical Cadre
SBI Clerk — Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)
State Bank of India (SBI) Clerk recruits Junior Associates (Customer Support & Sales) for SBI, state-wise. It is one of the most sought-after clerical banking jobs, with no interview and a clear route to officer promotion.
QualificationGraduation (any stream)
Age Limit20–28 years
Starting Basic₹26,730 (graduates)
StagesPrelims → Mains → LLT
Overview
What is SBI Clerk?
SBI recruits Junior Associates through its own exam. Candidates apply for one state and must know its local language. There is no interview; final selection is on Mains marks plus a qualifying Local Language Test.
Junior Associates are the frontline of SBI branches — handling cash, accounts, customer queries and product sales.
Junior AssociateCustomer Support & SalesState-wiseLocal Language Test
Fit check
Who should choose SBI Clerk
Think twice if you...
- Want officer-level pay from day one.
- Do not know the local language of the state.
- Dislike counter and sales work.
What gives you an edge
Any graduation
Bachelor of Arts (BA), BCom, BSc, BTech, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and others are all eligible.
Commerce & Economics
Helps with banking awareness, economy and financial topics.
Maths comfort
Quantitative aptitude and data interpretation carry heavy weight.
Step-by-step plan for your background
Arts / Humanities
If you're from Arts
- Start quant with simplification, number series and approximation, then move to data interpretation.
- Your reading strength helps in English — practise reading comprehension and essay/letter writing.
- Follow banking and economy news daily; keep a glossary of banking terms.
Commerce
If you're from Commerce
- Banking and financial awareness overlaps with your syllabus — revise Reserve Bank of India (RBI) functions, monetary policy and banking terms.
- Strengthen data interpretation and puzzles with daily timed sets.
- Use your economics knowledge for descriptive writing and the interview.
Science
If you're from Science
- Quant and DI are your strengths — aim for accuracy at speed.
- Puzzles and seating arrangements need daily practice regardless of background.
- Build banking awareness from scratch with monthly current-affairs compilations and RBI updates.
Eligibility
SBI Clerk eligibility criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian citizen |
| Qualification | Graduation in any discipline; final-year students can apply provisionally |
| Age limit | 20–28 years |
| Language | Must know the specified local language of the state |
Upper age relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| PwBD (UR / OBC / SC-ST) | 10 / 13 / 15 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As per government rules (military service deducted from age, plus 3 years) |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | No age relaxation |
Step-by-step
SBI Clerk selection process
Stage 1
Apply online for one state
Vacancies are state-wise.
Stage 2
Prelims
Qualifying.
Stage 3
Mains
Decides merit.
Stage 4
Local Language Test
Qualifying; exempt if you studied the language in Class 10 or 12.
Stage 5
Final selection
Based on Mains marks.
Marks & timing
SBI Clerk exam pattern
Stage 1
Prelims
Questions100Marks100Duration60 minutes
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative / Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Stage 2
Mains
Questions190Marks200Duration2 hours 40 minutes
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Financial Awareness | 50 | 50 | 35 minutes |
| General English | 40 | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability & Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 2 hours 40 minutes |
Key rules at a glance
Negative marking
0.25 of the marks of a question per wrong answer.
Interview
None.
Language test
Qualifying.
Probation
Six months, as per recent notifications.
What to study
SBI Clerk syllabus
Reasoning
PuzzlesSeating arrangementSyllogismInequalityBlood relationsDirection senseCoding-decodingInput-outputData sufficiency
Quantitative Aptitude
SimplificationNumber seriesQuadratic equationsData interpretationPercentageRatioProfit and lossInterestTime and workMensurationProbability
English
Reading comprehensionCloze testError detectionPara jumblesFillersVocabulary
General / Banking Awareness
Current affairsBanking termsRBI policiesFinancial awarenessStatic GKGovernment schemes
Computer Aptitude
Computer fundamentalsMS OfficeInternetNetworking and cyber security basics
Pay, perks & work
SBI Clerk salary, designation & job profile
Basic pay₹26,730/month
₹24,050 + two advance increments for graduates.
Indicative grossAbout ₹46,000/month at metro centres
As quoted in recent SBI notifications, including DA and allowances.
PerksMedical, LFC, concessional loans
Plus pension (NPS) and other SBI benefits.
Job role & responsibilities
Cash & accounts
Deposits, withdrawals and account services.
Customer support
Queries, KYC and service requests.
Sales
Selling SBI products — loans, insurance, mutual funds.
Back office
Clearing and record keeping.
Career ladder
1Entry
Junior Associate
Entry post.
2Step 2
Officer (JMGS-I)
Through internal promotion exams.
3Step 3
Middle management
Further promotions in the officer track.
4Step 4
Switch to PO
Many clerks later clear SBI PO.
Preparation strategy
How to prepare for SBI Clerk
A practical, phase-by-phase plan. Adjust the timeline to when the next notification is expected.
1Weeks 1–2
Baseline
- Read the notification and syllabus.
- Attempt one Prelims mock to measure your level.
2Months 1–2
Prelims foundation
- Daily: 20 puzzles/arrangements, 30 quant questions, 1 reading comprehension.
- Learn shortcuts for simplification and number series.
3Months 2–3
Mains depth
- High-level puzzles, caselet DI and data sufficiency.
- Banking, economy and financial awareness notes.
- Weekly essay and letter writing.
4Final 6 weeks
Mocks and interview
- Prelims and Mains mocks on alternate days with analysis.
- For PO-level exams, prepare your introduction, banking basics and current issues for the interview.
Trusted resources
Where to study from
- Official notification on the recruiting body's website (ibps.in, sbi.co.in, rbi.org.in, licindia.in)
- RBI website and press releases for banking awareness
- PIB (pib.gov.in) and a daily newspaper for current affairs
- Memory-based previous papers for recent pattern trends
- A bank-exam mock test series with sectional timing
Keep exploring
Related government exams
Student doubts
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Graduation in any discipline is accepted.
No. Selection is based on Mains marks and the local language test.
No. Self-study with mocks and previous papers is enough for many candidates.
No. You can apply for only one state.
Recent SBI Clerk notifications have not set an attempt limit beyond the age limit — check the current notification.
No physical test.
SBI branches within the state/circle you applied for.
Junior Associate → Officer (JMGS-I) through internal exams, then the officer track.
*Eligibility, age limits, exam pattern and pay figures are based on recent official notifications and the 7th Central Pay Commission structure as of 2026. In-hand salary estimates are indicative and vary with city (HRA) and the current Dearness Allowance rate. Every recruitment cycle can change the details — always confirm in the latest official notification before applying.
Official source: State Bank of India — Careers (sbi.co.in/web/careers)