The English sections are in English only. The other sections are available in English and Hindi, and in many states also in the regional language, depending on the State/UT you applied for. For example, Tamil Nadu adds Tamil and Telangana adds Telugu and Urdu.
The medium of the exam depends on the State/UT you applied for, not on where you sit the exam. The English Language (Prelims) and General English (Mains) sections are always in English only. The other sections are bilingual or multilingual.
Medium by State/UT (2026 notification)
| State/UT | Medium of exam |
|---|---|
| Assam | English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali |
| Goa | English, Hindi, Konkani |
| Gujarat | English, Hindi, Gujarati |
| Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh | English, Hindi, Urdu |
| Karnataka | English, Hindi, Kannada |
| Maharashtra | English, Hindi, Marathi |
| Manipur | English, Hindi, Manipuri |
| Odisha | English, Hindi, Odia |
| Tamil Nadu | English, Hindi, Tamil |
| Telangana | English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu |
| Tripura, West Bengal | English, Hindi, Bengali |
| Uttar Pradesh | English, Hindi, Urdu |
| A&N Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim | English, Hindi |
How it appears on screen
The Prelims booklet says questions appear in English and the selected language applicable to your State. You can view both, which helps if a translated term is unclear. The booklet also notes how discrepancies between versions are treated, so read that instruction in your own booklet.
Choosing a language
- Pick the language in which you read fastest. Reading speed matters more than anything in puzzles and word problems.
- Financial Awareness terms are often more familiar in English. Many candidates who use Hindi or a regional language still glance at the English version for banking terms.
- The English sections cannot be taken in any other language, so English reading practice is needed by everyone.
- SBI Junior Associates 2026 detailed advertisement (CRPD/CR/2026-27/17)
- SBI JA 2026 Preliminary Exam 'Acquaint Yourself' booklet
Rules can change with each notification. Confirm on sbi.bank.in/web/careers.
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