SBI Apprentice Recruitment 2026: If you are preparing to build a career in the banking sector, the State Bank of India (SBI) presents a significant opportunity for you. The country's largest public sector bank has announced recruitment for 7,150 apprentice positions. The application process commenced on May 19, 2026, and interested candidates may apply online until June 8, 2026. A key highlight of this recruitment drive is its objective to provide young individuals with practical banking experience; while it does not guarantee permanent employment, it will certainly offer an added advantage in future SBI Clerk recruitment processes.

SBI Launches Apprentice Recruitment Drive

SBI has released the official notification for its 2026 apprentice recruitment. The bank intends to fill 7,150 vacancies through this drive. In addition to the official SBI website, candidates may also submit their applications through various apprenticeship portals. The bank has clarified that the entire application process will be conducted online. Consequently, candidates are advised to apply well in advance to avoid facing technical glitches often encountered during the final moments of the application window. SBI has previously conducted apprentice recruitment drives on a large scale; in 2023, for instance, the bank announced vacancies for 6,000 apprentice positions.

Who Can Apply?

To apply for this recruitment, candidates must hold a graduate degree from a recognized university or higher educational institution. Candidates from any academic discipline are eligible to apply. Regarding age criteria, applicants must be between 20 and 28 years of age; however, candidates belonging to reserved categories will be granted relaxation in the upper age limit in accordance with government regulations.

What is the Application Fee?

To apply for these positions, candidates belonging to the General, OBC, and EWS categories are required to pay an application fee of ₹300. Conversely, candidates belonging to the SC, ST, PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities), and other reserved categories are exempted from paying any application fee.

How Will the Selection Be Conducted?

The selection of candidates for the SBI Apprentice recruitment will be based on an online written examination. The examination will be of one hour's duration and will consist of 100 questions. Each question will carry one mark. The examination will feature questions related to General and Financial Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning & Computer Aptitude. All questions will be of the objective type, and negative marking will also be applicable in the exam; one-fourth of a mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer.

**What will be the exam pattern?**

The online examination is divided into four sections, with a time limit of 15 minutes allotted for each section. 25 questions will be asked from General and Financial Awareness, and 25 questions will also come from General English. Similarly, there will be 25 questions each from Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning & Computer Aptitude. Thus, a total of 100 questions will be asked, and the maximum marks attainable will be 100. Candidates belonging to reserved categories—namely OBC, SC, ST, and PwBD—will be granted a 5% relaxation in the minimum qualifying marks.

**A Language Proficiency Test will also be mandatory**

Candidates who pass the online written examination will also be required to take a proficiency test in the local language of the state from which they have applied. The candidate must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the respective language. If a candidate fails the local language proficiency test, their selection will be cancelled.

**What will be the salary?**

During the apprenticeship period, candidates will be provided with a monthly stipend of ₹15,000. This amount will be paid throughout the training duration.

**Will completing the training guarantee a permanent job at SBI?**

Many candidates harbor the question of whether they will secure a permanent job at SBI upon the completion of their apprenticeship. SBI has clarified that the position of an apprentice is not a regular employment role; it is strictly a training program. The Bank is under no obligation to offer permanent employment to candidates once their training is complete. Upon the conclusion of the one-year training period, candidates will be relieved from their respective work assignments. Furthermore, apprentices will not be accorded the status of an SBI employee.

**Why, then, is this training still beneficial?**

Although this program does not guarantee employment, this training can prove to be highly beneficial for future banking jobs. Candidates who complete the training and pass the skills assessment test will be awarded a National Apprenticeship Certificate. Based on this, special concessions will be granted in future SBI Clerk recruitment drives.

**Significant Benefits in SBI Clerk Recruitment**

Trained apprentices from SBI will receive additional age relaxation in future recruitment drives for Junior Associates—commonly known as SBI Clerks. Candidates belonging to the General and EWS categories will receive an additional relaxation of one year; OBC candidates, four years; and SC/ST candidates, up to six years. Furthermore, candidates with Disabilities (PwBD) will be granted even greater concessions. Moreover, these trained apprentices will also be awarded bonus marks in the Main Examination.

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