State Bank of India (SBI) conducts the recruitment process for various clerical positions, for its branches positioned across India. Every year, lakhs of aspirants compete in the selection process of SBI Clerk to secure a future-proof career. The SBI Clerk selection process involves three stages, namely:
- SBI Clerk Preliminary Exam
- SBI Clerk Mains Exam
- Local Language Test (if applicable)
SBI released an advertisement (No. CRPD/CR/2019-20/20) for the recruitment of over 8000 Junior Associates (CUSTOMER SUPPORT & SALES) under SBI Clerk recruitment 2020 on January 2, 2020. The window for online application form submission of SBI Clerk 2020 was open from January 3 to January 26, 2020.
Important Update: SBI Clerk Preliminary exam 2020 was conducted successfully in multiple shifts on February 22, February 29, March 1 and March 8, 2020. Afterwards, the COVID-19 disruption hampered the entire SBI Clerk recruitment schedule. Consequently, the result of Prelims is still pending and the authority is yet to release the revised dates for Mains exam and further events.
The SBI Clerk final merit list is based on the candidates’ performance in the Mains examination. SBI does not conduct any interview for recruitment of candidates at clerical positions. After final selection, candidates have to undergo a probation period of 6 months at their designated branch. Read this article to ascertain necessary details about the SBI Clerk exam, including application process, admit card issuance, exam pattern, result, selection procedure, etc.
SBI Clerk -Key Highlights
- State Bank of India selects candidates for the post of Junior Associates (JA) for various branches across India through the SBI Clerk recruitment process
- As SBI Clerk is a national level exam, candidates can be posted anywhere in India
- SBI Clerk registration process is online and only eligible candidates can apply
- The selection process of SBI Clerk includes three stages – Preliminary test, Mains exam and Local Language Test
- Both Prelims and Mains exam are held online and consist of 100 and 190 multiple choice questions respectively
- It is mandatory to satisfy SBI Clerk Prelims cutoff marks to qualify for the Mains exam
- The final merit list is based on candidates’ performance in SBI Clerk Mains exam
- After joining, the probation period is 6 months and candidates have to serve for at least 5 years at their first designated branch
- The new updates and other notifications by SBI are available on its official websites – bank.sbi/careers or sbi.co.in/careers
SBI Clerk – Important Dates
SBI will announce the schedule of SBI Clerk Mains exam and other related events soon on its official website.
Events Calendar for SBI Clerk 2020
| Events | Key Dates |
| SBI Clerk application form release | January 3, 2020 |
| Deadline to submit application form | January 26, 2020 |
| SBI Clerk Prelims exam | February 22, 29, March 01, 08, 2020 |
| Declaration of Prelims result | To be notified |
| Release of Mains admit card | To be notified |
| SBI Clerk Mains examination | To be notified |
| Declaration of Mains result | To be notified |
| Final result announcement | To be notified |
SBI Clerk – Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must ensure to fulfil the below-mentioned eligibility requirements before applying for the State Bank of India Clerk Examination:
Nationality
A candidate must either be :
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Bhutan or Nepal, or
- A PIO or Person of Indian Origin card holder who came from countries like Burma, Pakistan, Zaire, Uganda, Kenya, etc. with an intention to permanently settle in India, or
- A Tibetan Refugee who came to India before January 01, 1962 to settle permanently
Note – Candidates belonging to the categories mentioned in point 2, 3, 4 must have a certificate of eligibility issued by the Govt. of India.
Age Limit
- Candidates’ age must fall in between 20 years to 28 years
- SBI has provided relaxation in its age criteria for candidates hailing from certain reserved categories
Age Relaxation
As per the regulations given by the Government, all reserved category aspirants enjoy the relaxation in upper age limit.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| SC (Schedule Caste)/ST (Schedule Tribe) | 5 Years |
| Kashmiri Migrants (with domicile of J&K from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1989) | 5 Years |
| People from families affected in 1984 riots | 5 Years |
| Other Backwards Classes (OBC) from Non-Creamy Layer* | 3 Years |
| Persons with Disabilities (PWD) – SC or ST | 15 years |
| PWD – General or EWS | 10 years |
| PWD – OBC | 13 years |
| Emergency Commissioned Officers, Ex Servicemen or Short Service Commissioned Officers who have been in the military service for 5 years and completed their assignment and have physical disability | 5 years |
*Candidates belonging to the OBC category with a family income of less than Rs. 8 lakh per annum can avail benefits under the OBC-NCL category.
Academic Qualification
- Candidates must be graduates (in any stream)
- Those who possess the certificate of integrated dual degree must have cleared the relevant exam on or before January 1 of the recruitment year
- Final year students are also eligible to apply for SBI Clerk exam provided they furnish the passing certificate or other proof on or before January 1 of the recruitment year
SBI Clerk Application Form 2020
SBI Clerk 2020 application form was released on January 3, 2020 and the registration closed on January 26, 2020. Only the eligible candidates can fill the SBI Clerk application form through online mode. Before filling the SBI Clerk application form, candidates must ensure that they have a valid email ID, contact number, credit or debit card details, graduation mark sheet, scanned copies of signature & photograph etc.
How to fill the SBI Clerk application form 2020?
Necessary steps to complete SBI Clerk application process are as under:
- Registration – Visit the official website of SBI (sbi.co.in) and click on the link ‘New Registration for SBI Main’. Once the page is displayed, fill in your basic details like name, mobile number, email ID and security code to register successfully on the portal.
- Generating login credentials – The auto generated login credentials (registration number and password) are sent to your registered email ID. You can use these login credentials while filling the application form online and for further login attempts.
- Application Process –
- Uploading signature and picture: During the application process, candidates have to upload their scanned signature and photograph as per the format specified in the table below.
Document Specification for SBI PO Application Form
| Document Type | File Size | Pixel Size | Format |
| Photograph | 20-50 KB | 200X230 | JPEG |
| Signature | 10-20 KB | 140X60 | JPEG |
- Filling in information: You must provide correct information (as mentioned in your certificates) like name, address, academic qualification, date of birth, etc. Any mismatch in information may lead to cancellation of your candidature.
- Rechecking the details: The preview button enables you to recheck all your filled-in details in the application form and make changes (if required). No correction facility is available once you submit the form.
- Paying the application fee: Application fee payment is the last step. Candidates must ensure that they have successfully submitted the fee and received the fee payment receipt
- Taking print out/s: Take the printout of SBI Clerk application form acknowledgement page and fee receipt, as you need to present the same during the document verification
SBI PO Application Fee
SBI Clerk application fee is non-refundable in nature. Candidates can use digital mediums like net banking, debit or credit card to pay the fee amount.
Category-wise SBI PO Application Fee
| Category | Application Fee |
| SC or ST or PwD | Nil |
| General/OBC/EWS | Rs 750 (including intimation charges) |
SBI Clerk – Admit Card
SBI Clerk admit card is made available online for Prelims and Mains exams separately. SBI will publish the revised schedule for SBI Clerk Mains exam 2020 along with admit card release date on its official brochure. SBI Clerk admit card contains various important details such as:
- Name of the applicant
- Roll number
- Registration number
- Date of exam
- Exam timing
- Test duration
- Exam centre name and address
- Exam related guidelines
Candidates who fail to complete the registration process online or pay the application fee cannot get the access to the SBI Clerk admit card. The authority will not provide any hard copy of admit cards to candidates through post or courier. To download the admit card, candidates must visit the website of SBI and enter their registration number/roll number and date of birth/password.
SBI Clerk – Exam Centres
The SBI Clerk 2020 exam is held in approximately 178 major cities across the country. Candidates can select any of the below listed test centres as per their preference while filling the application form. However, SBI reserves the final right to allot the exam venue:
List of SBI Clerk Exam Centres
| State/UT | Test Centres |
| Andaman & Nicobar Island | Port Blair |
| Andhra Pradesh | Chirala, Guntur, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Nellore, Rajahmundry, Srikakulam, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Naharlagun |
| Assam | Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur |
| Bihar | Arrah, Aurangabad (Bihar), Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Purnea |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh – Mohali |
| Chhattisgarh | Bhilai Nagar, Bilaspur, Raipur |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad – Gandhinagar, Anand, Jamnagar, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara |
| Haryana | Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Sonipat, Yamuna Nagar |
| Himachal Pradesh | Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Una |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu, Samba, Srinagar |
| Jharkhand | Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ranchi |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru, Belgaum, Davangere, Gulbarga, Hassan, Hubli – Dharwad, Mandya, Mangalore, Mysore, Shimoga, Udupi |
| Kerala | Alappuzha, Kannur, Kochi, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain |
| Maharashtra | Amravati, Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Chandrapur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai/ Thane/ Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Solapur |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Meghalaya | Shilong |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Delhi NCR | Delhi NCR (All NCR cities) |
| Odisha | Balasore, Berhampur (Ganjam), Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Rourkela, Sambalpur |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Punjab | Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, Pathankot, Patiala, Sangrur |
| Rajasthan | Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sikar, Udaipur |
| Sikkim | Bardang – Gangtok |
| Tamilnadu | Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Nagercoil, Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Virudhunagar |
| Telangana | Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Warangal |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Bareilly, Faizabad, Ghaziabad, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Noida & Gr. Noida, Varanasi |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee |
| West Bengal | Asansol, Durgapur, Greater Kolkata, Hooghly, Kalyani, Siliguri |
SBI Clerk – Exam Pattern
The SBI Clerk exam pattern includes parameters like type and number of questions, exam duration, mode and medium of test, total sections, marking scheme, maximum marks etc.
SBI Clerk Prelims Exam Pattern
Sections – The Prelims paper is divided into three sections – Reasoning Ability, Numerical Ability and English Language.
Mode of Test – Online
Type of Questions – Objective-type
Number of Questions – 100
Time Allotted – 60 minutes (20 minutes allotted to each section)
Marking Scheme – One mark is awarded for every correct response and 0.25 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer
Important Note: It is mandatory to qualify the Prelims exam to get shortlisted for the Mains exam. However, the marks scored in Prelims are not considered during the preparation of the SBI Clerk final merit list.
Sectional Weightage in SBI Clerk Prelims
| Sections | Number of Questions | Marks | Test Duration (minutes) |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 |
| Reasoning Ability and Computer Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 |
SBI Clerk Mains Exam Pattern
Sections – The Mains paper is segregated in four sections – Quantitative Aptitude, General Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, Finance & General Awareness and General English
Mode of Test – Online
Type of Questions – Objective-type
Number of Questions – 190
Time Allotted – 160 minutes
Negative Marking – 1/4th of the total marks is deducted for every incorrect answer
Sectional Weightage in SBI Clerk Mains
| Sections | Number of Questions | Marks | *Test Duration (minutes) |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 45 |
| English Language | 40 | 40 | 35 |
| Reasoning and Computer Aptitude | 50 | 60 | 40 |
| General Awareness and Finance | 50 | 50 | 40 |
| Total | 190 | 200 | 160 |
*There is no sectional time limit applicable in SBI Mains. The time duration for each section mentioned in the table above is based on expert opinion.
SBI Clerk – Syllabus
SBI Clerk syllabus includes section-wise topics for Prelims and Mains exam.
SBI Clerk Prelims Syllabus
| English Language | Reasoning Ability | Numerical Ability |
| Reading Comprehension | Puzzle | Equation and Algebra |
| Fill in the Blanks | Seating Arrangement | Data Interpretation |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | Blood Relations | Work and Time |
| Sentence Rearrangement | Direction Test | Surds & Indices |
| Sentence Correction | Syllogism | Stock & Shares |
| Cloze Test | Coding-Decoding | Time & Distance |
| Idioms and Phrases | Input-Output | Simplification |
| Vocabulary | Order and Ranking | Sequence & Series |
| Alphanumeric Series | Ratio & Proportion, Percentage | |
| Data Sufficiency | Simple Interest and Compound Interest |
SBI Clerk Mains Syllabus
| General English | Quantitative Aptitude | Reasoning Ability | Finance and General Awareness |
| Reading Comprehension | Data Interpretation | Puzzle | Current Affairs |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | Data Sufficiency | Machine Output | Static General Awareness |
| Sentence Rearrangement | Profit and Loss | Syllogism | Banking and Financial Terms |
| Sentence Correction | Mensuration | Direction Test | Important Abbreviations |
| Fillers | Simple and Compound Interest | Blood Relation | Banking Awareness |
| Cloze Test | Mixtures and Allegations | Coding and Decoding | Fiscal and Monetary Policy |
| Idioms and Phrases | Permutation and Combination | Statement and Assumptions | Important Government schemes |
| Vocabulary | Work, Time and Distance | Order and Ranking | Awards and Honours |
| Miscellaneous | Number series | Linear Arrangement | Indian Constitution |
SBI Clerk – Important Instructions
SBI Clerk 2020 Mains examination is still pending. The authority recommends candidates to follow the below given guidelines:
- SBI Clerk admit card is a mandatory document that the test-takers must carry on the day of exam
- Candidates must report at the test centre 30 to 35 minutes before the exam time to avoid the last minute hustle-bustle
- The authority does not encourage any illicit activity inside the examination hall and can take any disciplinary action against involved candidates
- In case of any unruly act like cheating, the authority has the right to disqualify concerned candidate(s)
- Any loss or damage while appearing for exam is not borne by the authority
- No electronic items such as cell phones, pagers, digital watch, calculators etc are allowed inside the exam hall
- Candidates cannot leave the test hall before the completion of exam
SBI Clerk – Exam Preparation Tips
Candidates must go through below given tips to ensure their preparation for the Mains exam is on the right track:
- Become conversant with the SBI Clerk syllabus and exam pattern in detail
- Solve sample papers and previous years’ exam papers for better preparation
- Give online mock tests to practice time management skills and get familiar with the UI (User Interface) of the exam
- Read newspapers and magazines on a regular basis to keep up-to-date with the current affairs
- Create notes to make revision easy for yourself
SBI Clerk Selection Process 2020
As stated above, the SBI Clerk selection process involves three stages – Prelims, Mains and Local Language Test (optional). Phase I: SBI Clerk Prelims
SBI Clerk Prelims is a qualifying exam in nature and its marks are not added to the final merit list. The test-takers who achieve marks as per the SBI Clerk Prelims cutoff (category-wise & state-wise) are shortlisted for Mains exam.
Phase II: SBI Clerk Mains
Those candidates, who attain marks as per the specified SBI Clerk Mains cutoff (category-wise & state-wise), make place in the final merit list. After the Mains exam, SBI does not conduct any interview. However, a Local Language Test is conducted (if applicable), for the candidates who are unable to present a certificate of proficiency in their regional language. .
Phase III: Local Language Test
SBI Clerk Mains exam is followed by a Local Language Test (if applicable). It is mandatory only for those who cannot submit their regional language proficiency certificate (class 10th certificate testifying that they have studied their local language at secondary level i.e, Class 9 and 10).
SBI Clerk Result 2020
SBI declares the result for SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exams separately on its official website (sbi.co.in/web/careers) in PDF format. Candidates can find their roll numbers to check their qualifying status for the subsequent stage of recruitment.
The authority also issues separate scorecards for Prelims and Mains to the candidates after one or two weeks of result declaration. Candidates can download their scorecard by entering their registration number and password. The details furnished in SBI Clerk scorecard include:
- Name of the applicant
- Registration number
- Roll number
- Sectional marks
- Aggregate marks
- Qualifying status
SBI Clerk Cut Off 2020
SBI releases a separate cut off list for SBI Clerk Preliminary and Mains examination. Candidates have to attain the minimum marks as per cutoff to get qualified for the next round of selection process. The authority declares category and state-wise cut off list for candidates. SBI Clerk cut off depends upon various factors like:
- Total number of test takers
- Category of the candidates
- Total vacancies
- Difficulty level of exam
- Previous years’ cut off data
State-wise SBI Clerk Cutoff 2019 for General Category
| State | SBI Clerk Prelims Cut-Off (Out of 100) | SBI Clerk Mains Cut-Off (Out of 200) |
| Uttar Pradesh | 72.25 | 97.5 |
| Uttarakhand | 75.25 | 96.5 |
| Chhattisgarh | 57.5 | 87.75 |
| Bihar | 76.25 | 98 |
| Jharkhand | 75 | 97.5 |
| Assam | 57 | 85 |
| Maharashtra | 62.5 | 89.75 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 73.5 | 94.75 |
| J&K | 81.75 | – |
| Karnataka | 48.5 | 85.75 |
| Kerala | 78 | 96.25 |
| Odisha | 73.5 | 94.75 |
| Delhi | 71.25 | 99.75 |
| Chandigarh | 77.25 | – |
| West Bengal | 73.25 | 97.25 |
| Rajasthan | 71 | 97 |
| Telangana | 68.5 | – |
| Punjab | 76.25 | 102.75 |
| Haryana | 75.25 | 103.25 |
| Gujarat | 65.5 | 91.25 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 74.75 | 99.75 |
| Tamil Nadu | 61.25 | 98 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 71.75 | 101.25 |
SBI Clerk Merit List 2020
The final result of SBI Clerk after Mains and Local Language Test is released in the form of merit list. SBI considers the Mains score while preparing the merit list. Other deciding factors include category of candidates, cut off, etc. Candidates who satisfy the cut off find their place in SBI Clerk final merit list.
Tie-like situations may also arise where two or more candidates have equal marks in the exam. Such instances can be solved using below given tie breaking formula:
- Candidates who belong to the category of SC/ST/OBC/PH will be preferred over others
- If tie remains, the applicants who give least incorrect answers in each section of the paper will be shortlisted
- If the tie still persists, one who is older in age will be prioritized
SBI Clerk – Waiting list
As per the official advertisement of SBI Clerk recruitment 2020, “A wait list of up to 50% of vacancies (State-category wise) will be maintained. Candidates will be released from this waitlist on a quarterly basis against non-joining and resignation out of the current batch only, subject to the candidates securing minimum qualifying marks as may be stipulated by the Bank for selection. This wait list will be valid for a period of one year from the date of declaration of final result.”
SBI Clerk – Probationary Period
The probationary period for SBI Clerk is 6 months. The appointed Junior Associates are confirmed as permanent employees of SBI after the probation period. During this time, SBI Clerks have been assigned 15 mandatory e-learning modules to clear and their performance is also evaluated. If the appointed candidates fail to finish the assignments within 6 months, the authority extends their period of probation.
SBI Clerk – Vacancies
Every year, SBI declares category wise vacancies for Junior Associates or Clerk. The table contains category wise availability of vacancies for SBI Clerk 2020:
| Category | Regular Vacancies |
| General | 3447 |
| Economically Weaker Section | 790 |
| Scheduled Castes | 1214 |
| Scheduled Tribes | 746 |
| Other Backward Castes | 1803 |
| Total | 8000 |
Click here to know more about state-wise breakup of vacancies and recruitments under backlogs.
SBI Clerk – FAQs
✔️ How to apply for SBI Clerk recruitment process?
Interested candidates need to visit the website of SBI (sbi.co.in/careers) and click on ‘Register for SBI JA Recruitment’. To register, they need to enter their basic details such as name, date of birth, email ID, mobile number, etc,. after which their registration number and password will be auto generated. After registration, candidates can fill the SBI Clerk application form and pay the applicable fee.
✔️ How to download the admit cards of SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exam?
SBI Prelims and Mains admit cards are made available online. Only those applicants who complete the application form submission process successfully can download their SBI clerk call letters online. To download the admit card, a candidate has to use their registration number and password and login at sbi.co.in/careers. Candidates should always take 2-3 printouts of their SBI Clerk admit card and retain the same until the SBI Clerk selection process is over.
✔️ Is it necessary to take the printout of the SBI Clerk application form?
Yes, candidates must take the print out of their SBI Clerk 2020 application form and retain the same for further use until the recruitment process gets over.
✔️ How can I get the details of my marks in SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exam?
Candidates can download the SBI Clerk scorecards separately for Prelims and Mains. The scorecard contains details of the candidate’s sectional and overall marks along with qualifying status.
✔️ How many vacancies are reserved for General and other categories?
SBI has declared a total of 8000 vacancies for Junior Associates in SBI Clerk recruitment advertisement 2020. 3447 vacancies are reserved for General category whereas rest of the vacancies are for reserved categories (SC-1214, ST-746, EWS-790 and OBC-1803.
✔️ How many phases are there in the SBI Clerk 2020 selection process?
SBI Clerk selection process consists of three stages - Preliminary test, Mains examination and Local Language Test. Both Prelims and Mains exams contain only multiple choice questions in both Hindi and English languages.
✔️ Is it mandatory for all the qualified candidates to appear for the Local Language Test?
No. Local Language Test is mandatory for only those candidates who fail to produce any proof (class 10th certificate testifying they have studied local language in class 9th and 10th) stating their regional language proficiency.
✔️ What is the medium of SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exam?
SBI Clerk Prelims and Mains exams are held online and the questions are objective type. Both the papers are bilingual (both Hindi and English) except that of English Language.
✔️ Is there any probation period for SBI Clerk? Can I apply for a transfer after my first posting?
Yes, the probation period for SBI Clerk is 6 months. Candidates’ performance is assessed under this time through 15 e-learning modules. No transfer is allowed within 5 years of first posting as a clerk in SBI.