J&K Bank Recruitment 2026: 1,397 PO and Banking Associate Posts in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh
Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd. has announced a major recruitment drive for 1,397 Probationary Officer and Banking Associate posts, opening one of the largest banking employment opportunities in the two Union Territories in years. The bank has issued four separate advertisements: Probationary Officer in Jammu and Kashmir (323 posts), Probationary Officer in Ladakh (20 posts), Banking Associate in Jammu and Kashmir (1,033 posts) and Banking Associate in Ladakh (21 posts).
The online application window runs from 7 November to 26 November 2026, and the fee must also be paid by 26 November. Any graduate can apply, but only a domicile of the Union Territory named in the advertisement is eligible: candidates from Jammu and Kashmir apply under the J&K advertisements, and candidates from Ladakh apply under the Ladakh advertisements. The examinations will be conducted online by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).
One figure needs care. News reports widely quote 1,356 posts, which is the Jammu and Kashmir total alone (323 Probationary Officers plus 1,033 Banking Associates). The full drive, including the two Ladakh advertisements, totals 1,397 posts. This post uses 1,397 as the total and gives the four advertisements separately, so candidates are not misled by the shorter figure.
This post brings together the vacancy details, dates, fee, age limits, qualifications, pay, selection process and exam pattern from the official notifications, rewritten here in simple form. Where a detail could not be verified, that gap is flagged clearly below instead of being guessed.
Vacancy Details
The 1,397 vacancies are split across two posts and two Union Territories as follows:
| Post and UT | Vacancies | Advertisement No. |
|---|---|---|
| Probationary Officer, Jammu and Kashmir | 323 | JKB/HR/Rectt/2026-492 |
| Probationary Officer, Ladakh | 20 | JKB/HR/Rectt/2026-494 |
| Banking Associate, Jammu and Kashmir | 1,033 | JKB/HR/Rectt/2026-493 |
| Banking Associate, Ladakh | 21 | JKB/HR/Rectt/2026-495 |
| Total | 1,397 |
The notices print only the total for each post and the reservation percentages, not category-wise seat numbers. The reservation percentages differ between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, so candidates must check the table for their own Union Territory:
| Category | Jammu and Kashmir (PO and BA) | Ladakh (PO and BA) |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste | 8% | 1% |
| Scheduled Tribe | 20% (10% existing list plus 10% added in 2024) | 80% |
| SEBC | OBC 8%, ALC/IB areas 4%, Backward Areas 10% | ALC areas 4% |
| EWS | 10% | 10% |
| PwD (horizontal) | 4% | 4% |
| Ex-Servicemen (Banking Associate only, horizontal) | 6% | 6% |
| Outstanding Sportspersons (Ladakh Banking Associate only, horizontal) | Not given | 4% |
Gap flagged: Category-wise seat numbers are not printed in the notifications, so they are not stated here. Candidates applying under a reserved category should read the reservation percentages in their own advertisement and keep a valid category certificate ready.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification issued | 6 November 2026 |
| Online application and fee payment start | 7 November 2026 |
| Last date to apply and pay the fee | 26 November 2026 |
| Call letters, exam, results, interview | To be notified separately |
The exam dates have not been announced yet. Candidates should not rely on any exam date circulating on social media; the bank will notify the call-letter and exam schedule separately on its official website.
Application Fee
The fee is payable online only, and it is not refunded. An application cannot be withdrawn after payment. The fee is charged excluding GST, and bank transaction charges are borne by the candidate. Payment can be made by debit card (RuPay, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro), credit card, internet banking, IMPS and cash cards or mobile wallets.
| Category | Probationary Officer | Banking Associate |
|---|---|---|
| SC, ST, SEBC, PwBD | Rs 1,000 | Rs 600 |
| All others | Rs 1,200 | Rs 800 |
| Ex-Servicemen (Banking Associate only) | — | Rs 600 |
Registration is complete only when the fee is paid. Candidates should keep the e-receipt and a printout of the submitted application form.
Age Limit
The age is counted as on 1 January 2026. The minimum age is 20 years and the maximum is 30 years, which means candidates must have been born between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 2006, both dates included.
| Category | J&K Notices | Ladakh Notices |
|---|---|---|
| General and EWS | No relaxation | No relaxation (except Ladakh PO, see below) |
| SC, ST | 5 years | 5 years |
| SEBC | 3 years | 5 years |
| PwD / PwBD | 10 years | 10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen (Banking Associate only) | Service rendered plus 3 years, up to 48 years | Military service deducted from age; result may be up to 3 years above the maximum; cap 48 years |
| Bank Apprentices (Banking Associate only) | 1 year extra | 1 year extra |
Two points are often missed. First, the SC/ST/SEBC relaxation is added to the PwD relaxation where both apply. Second, the Ladakh Probationary Officer notice alone gives a one-time extra five years to all candidates (for recruitment years 2025 and 2026), with age capped at 56 years after relaxation; the Ladakh Banking Associate notice does not carry this clause. Apprentices who finished their apprenticeship with J&K Bank also get 2.5% of the maximum marks as additional marks in the Banking Associate examination.
Eligibility: Qualification and Domicile
Both posts need a graduation degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Central Government or UGC. The degree must be held on 26 November 2026. A result that is still awaited on that date does not qualify, and the marks sheet or degree certificate must be valid on the last date of registration.
Domicile is the strictest condition in this recruitment. Only candidates domiciled in the Union Territory named in the advertisement can apply for that advertisement: J&K advertisements are for domiciles of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir only, and Ladakh advertisements are for domiciles of the UT of Ladakh only. Selected candidates must submit the domicile certificate. There is no transfer out of the first-allotted zone for five years, so candidates should apply with that posting condition in mind.
Government employees need a No Objection Certificate from their employer — at the interview stage for Probationary Officer and at joining for Banking Associate — or their candidature will not be considered. Serving defence personnel applying for Banking Associate must submit a release certificate at registration, failing which they face immediate disqualification.
Salary and Pay Scale
| Post | Starting Basic Pay and Scale |
|---|---|
| Probationary Officer | Rs 48,480 in the scale 48480-2000/7-62480-2340/2-67160-2680/7-85920, with other perks of Junior Management Grade Scale-I |
| Banking Associate | Rs 24,050 in the scale 24050-1340/3-28070-1650/3-33020-2000/4-41020-2340/7-57400-4400/1-61800-2680-64480, with other perks of the Banking Associate cadre |
A selected Probationary Officer must join within 45 days of the provisional appointment letter and stays on probation for two years. Confirmation depends on a qualifying evaluation examination, with a minimum of 40% for General candidates and 35% for reserved-category candidates. The officer signs a bond of Rs 2 lakh for two years of service. A Banking Associate joins within 45 days, is on probation for six months (which the bank may extend by up to three months) and signs a bond of Rs 1 lakh for six months.
Selection Process
| Post | Stages |
|---|---|
| Probationary Officer | Online Preliminary examination, Online Mains examination (objective plus descriptive), Interview. Final merit is based on Mains and Interview in the ratio 80:20. |
| Banking Associate | One online examination; selection is on the aggregate score in that examination. |
Candidates must clear each test in the Preliminary examination; the cut-off is set by IBPS together with the bank. Ten times the number of vacancies in each category are called for the Mains, and three times the vacancies for the Interview, on the basis of Mains marks only. The Interview carries 100 marks, with a minimum of 40% for General candidates and 35% for reserved-category candidates. The aggregate minimum in the Preliminary and in the Mains is 40% for General and 35% for reserved categories. A reserve list of up to 50% of the vacancies in each category is kept for one year or until the next notification, whichever is earlier.
Both posts carry a penalty of one-fourth of the marks for every wrong answer in the objective tests; blank answers carry no penalty. Ties are broken by date of birth, with the older candidate placed first.
Exam Pattern
Probationary Officer — Preliminary Test (100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes):
| Test | Questions and Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 questions, 30 marks | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 questions, 30 marks | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 questions, 40 marks | 20 minutes |
Probationary Officer — Mains Test:
| Test | Questions and Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 40 questions, 60 marks | 45 minutes |
| General / Economy / Banking Awareness, Digital / Financial Awareness including RBI Circulars | 50 questions, 60 marks | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 questions, 20 marks | 35 minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 40 questions, 60 marks | 45 minutes |
| Descriptive Paper (Essay and Comprehension) | 2 questions, 25 marks | 30 minutes |
Banking Associate — Single Online Examination (100 questions, 100 marks, 60 minutes): the same three tests as the Probationary Officer Preliminary — English Language (30 questions, 30 marks), Quantitative Aptitude (35 questions, 30 marks) and Reasoning Ability (35 questions, 40 marks). Candidates must clear each test, and the minimum aggregate is 40% for General and 35% for reserved categories.
Exam centres: candidates choose six centres, and at least three of them must be outside Jammu and Kashmir (for the J&K notices) or at least four outside Ladakh (for the Ladakh notices). Centres inside Jammu and Kashmir are Pulwama, Jammu, Srinagar, Baramulla and Samba; inside Ladakh they are Leh and Kargil. The bank may allot a centre the candidate did not choose.
How to Apply
First pick the advertisement for your Union Territory and your post — there are four separate advertisements, and the wrong one will not be corrected later. Keep ready your photograph, signature, left thumb impression, a handwritten declaration in English, your 10th and graduation certificates in PDF (up to 500 kb each), and a working email ID and mobile number. Follow these steps in order:
- Open the Careers section of the bank’s official website, jkb.bank.in, find the relevant notification and click Apply Online, which routes to the IBPS registration portal.
- Choose New Registration, enter your name, contact details and email, and note the Provisional Registration Number and Password.
- Fill the form using Save and Next, then upload your photograph (20–50 kb), signature (10–20 kb), left thumb impression (20–50 kb) and handwritten declaration (50–100 kb), and capture a live photograph.
- Upload the PDF certificates that apply: 10th, graduation, disability, apprenticeship, ex-servicemen, scribe and Outstanding Sportspersons (Ladakh Banking Associate) certificates.
- Preview the form carefully and click Complete Registration only after checking every entry, then pay the fee online.
- Submit and keep a printout of the e-receipt and the application form.
Warning: the handwritten declaration and signature must be yours and must not be written in capital letters, or the application will be treated as invalid. No change is possible after Complete Registration, and the registration is complete only when the fee is paid. Canvassing in any form disqualifies the candidate, and a signature that differs from the uploaded one at the interview or joining stage disqualifies the candidate. Appearing more than once in the online examination leads to rejection.
Important Links
- Apply Online: jkb.bank.in (Careers section — choose the notification for your UT and post, then Apply Online)
- Official Notification: jkb.bank.in (Careers section; no separate deep PDF link has been verified, so none is given here)
- Official Website: jkb.bank.in
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are there in J&K Bank Recruitment 2026?
There are 1,397 vacancies in total: Probationary Officer 323 in Jammu and Kashmir and 20 in Ladakh, and Banking Associate 1,033 in Jammu and Kashmir and 21 in Ladakh. News reports quoting 1,356 refer to the Jammu and Kashmir advertisements only.
What is the last date to apply for J&K Bank Recruitment 2026?
The last date to apply online and pay the fee is 26 November 2026. The application window opened on 7 November 2026.
Can candidates from outside Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh apply?
No. Only domiciles of the Union Territory named in the advertisement can apply — J&K advertisements are for Jammu and Kashmir domiciles only, and Ladakh advertisements are for Ladakh domiciles only. A domicile certificate must be submitted by selected candidates.
What is the age limit for J&K Bank PO and Banking Associate?
The age limit is 20 to 30 years as on 1 January 2026, with relaxation for SC, ST, SEBC, PwD, ex-servicemen and bank apprentices as per the notification. The Ladakh Probationary Officer notice alone gives a one-time extra five years to all candidates, capped at 56 years after relaxation.
What is the application fee?
For Probationary Officer the fee is Rs 1,200 for others and Rs 1,000 for SC, ST, SEBC and PwBD candidates. For Banking Associate it is Rs 800 for others and Rs 600 for SC, ST, SEBC, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates. The fee is excluding GST and is non-refundable.
What is the salary of a J&K Bank Probationary Officer?
A Probationary Officer starts at a basic pay of Rs 48,480 in Junior Management Grade Scale-I, while a Banking Associate starts at Rs 24,050. Both carry the other perks of their respective cadres.
Is there an interview for Banking Associate?
No. Banking Associate selection is through a single online examination only. Probationary Officer selection has three stages: Preliminary, Mains (objective plus descriptive) and Interview, with final merit in the ratio 80:20 between Mains and Interview.
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When will the J&K Bank exam be held?
The exam dates have not been announced. Call letters, exam dates, results and interview schedules will be notified separately by the bank on its official website.