SBI Clerk Eligibility 2026: Check Age limit, Number of Attempts and Educational Qualification
SBI Clerk Eligibility 2026
Every year SBI Clerk is conducted to recruit Junior Associates in the State Bank of India. This is one of the most sought-after positions in the banking sector. As part of the application process, candidates should make sure they meet the eligibility criteria set by the SBI. The SBI Clerk eligibility criteria are released along with the official notification and include parameters like nationality, age limit and educational qualifications. In this article, we will provide a detailed overview of the SBI Clerk eligibility criteria for the upcoming cycle.
SBI Clerk 2026 Eligibility Criteria Overview
The SBI Clerk Eligibility Criteria is summarised in the table below. Candidates are advised to go through this table and keep a note of the important details.
| Exam highlights | Details |
|
Exam Conducting Body |
State Bank of India (SBI) |
|
Post Name |
Junior Associate (Clerk) |
|
Total Vacancies |
to be announced |
|
Age Limit |
20 to 28 years (as on 01.04.2025) |
|
Age Relaxation |
Applicable for SC/ST, OBC, PwBD, Ex-Servicemen |
|
Educational Qualification |
A graduation in any discipline |
|
Final Year Students |
Eligible provisionally (must pass by 31.12.2025) |
|
Local Language Proficiency |
Mandatory for the State/UT applied for |
|
Official Website |
SBI Clerk Age Limit & Age Relaxation
The SBI Clerk Age Limit is one of the important aspects of the eligibility criteria. Candidates who are interested in applying for this post must ensure that they fall within the prescribed age range mentioned in the official notification.
SBI Clerk Age limit 2026
The candidate must be 20 to 28 years old to be eligible for the SBI Clerk Exam. However, age relaxation is given to the candidates who belong to certain reserved categories.
|
Age Limit Criteria |
Details |
|
Minimum Age |
20 years |
|
Maximum Age |
28 years |
|
Cut-off Date for Age Calculation |
As of 01.04.2025 |
|
Date of Birth Range |
Born between 02.04.1997 and 01.04.2005 (both days inclusive) |
SBI Clerk Age relaxation 2026
Candidates belonging to the reserved categories can make use of the benefits of age relaxation as per the rules of the Government of India.
Here is the category-wise age relaxation provided to each category
|
Category |
Age Relaxation |
|
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) |
3 years |
|
SC / ST |
5 years |
|
PwBD (Gen / EWS) |
10 years |
|
PwBD (OBC) |
13 years |
|
PwBD (SC / ST) |
15 years |
|
Ex-Servicemen / Disabled Ex-Servicemen |
Service period + 3 years (8 years for SC/ST) up to max 50 years |
|
Widows, Divorced Women, Judicially Separated Women |
7 years (Max: Gen/EWS – 35 yrs, OBC – 38 yrs, SC/ST – 40 yrs) |
|
SBI Trained Apprentices |
GEN/EWS – 1 yr, OBC – 4 yrs, SC/ST – 6 yrs, PwBD (Gen/EWS) – 11 yrs, PwBD (OBC) – 14 yrs, PwBD (SC/ST) – 16 yrs |
SBI Clerk Eligibility 2026 – Educational Qualification
- A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Government of India.
- Candidates with an integrated dual degree (IDD) must ensure that the date of passing is on or before the application deadline.
- Candidates who are in the final year/ semester of their graduation may also apply provisionally, subject to the condition that, if provisionally selected, they will have to produce proof of having passed the graduation examination on or before the registration date
- Candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding the official language of the state/UT for which they are applying. A Language Proficiency Test (LPT) will be carried out for the selected candidates.
SBI Clerk 2026: Nationality Criteria
To be eligible, a candidate must be:
- An Indian citizen,
- A Nepalese or Bhutanese citizen,
- A Tibetan refugee who arrived in India before 1st January 1962, or
- A person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, or Vietnam to settle permanently in India.
Maximum Attempts in SBI Clerk 2026 Examination
The maximum number of attempts for the SBI PO exam varies by category. The table below discusses the maximum number of attempts for every category:
|
Category |
Max. Permissible Number of Chances |
|
General/ EWS |
4 |
|
UR (PwBD) / EWS (PwBD) / OBC / OBC (PwBD) |
7 |
|
SC/ SC (PWD)/ ST/ ST (PWD) |
No restrictions |
Language Proficiency Test for SBI Clerk Selection
For the candidates who lack proof of studying the state’s chosen local language, the SBI conducts a Language Proficiency Test. It is mandatory for the students who do not possess a certificate in the local language. This test evaluates the candidate’s reading, writing and comprehension skills in that language.
Here are some things to note:
- This test is only for the candidates who have cleared the Prelims and Mains exams
- Candidates who already have proof of studying the local language in their 10th or 12th classes do not have to appear for this test
Who Is Restricted from Applying for the SBI Clerk 2026?
- Applicants who have negative reports regarding their character are ineligible.
- Applicants who have a bad CIBIL score are ineligible for the position.
- Candidates who have previously worked with SBI in a clerical or an officer position are not allowed to apply for the exam.
- The current employees of SBI are not allowed to apply for this position.
