It’s been weeks, even months since you filed your ITR. And here, we’re not talking about your refund being delayed, but that your return itself hasn’t been processed yet and continues to show as “Under Processing.”
This is the case for nearly 1.29 crore taxpayers. And I understand, this can be confusing and frustrating at the same time, making you wonder if something’s wrong with your ITR, or if it’s just the ITD taking longer this year.
Let’s understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
How long does it usually take to process returns?
So, once you file your ITR, it first goes for processing at the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC). The system cross-checks your return with data from Form 26AS, AIS, TIS, and other records.
Normally, it takes around 2–4 weeks after you e-verify for the processing to move forward. But this year, things have been a bit slower. The income tax department has found a large number of fake deductions and exemptions worth over ₹700 crore, most of them under the old regime.
So to prevent incorrect refunds from going out, they’ve added extra layers of checks and even AI-based verifications. That means if you’re expecting a bigger refund, or you’ve claimed multiple deductions, it might take longer to process.
And of course, simpler returns like ITR-1 and ITR-4 are usually processed faster than more detailed ones like ITR-2 and ITR-3 with business or profession income.
Why your ITR is still ‘under processing’?
Here are some of the most common reasons behind the delay:
1. Delay in e-verification
Processing starts only after you e-verify your ITR. So, if you filed on July 20 but verified on August 31, your ITR is considered received on August 31, and the processing starts from there.
2. Claiming multiple deductions or losses
When your return includes several deductions, exemptions, or carry-forward losses, the ITD often runs deeper checks before processing the return.
3. Filed a revised return
If you’ve filed a revised ITR, the earlier version becomes void and processing restarts from the latest one. So, the more recent your revision, the longer it may take for CPC to pick it up again.
4. Technical backlog at CPC
After the filing deadline, millions of returns reach CPC simultaneously. Some delays are simply due to the huge volume of returns, nothing to worry about here.
The income tax department is processing returns in batches, so while some have already been processed, others are still in queue, waiting to be picked for final checks. As long as you’ve e-verified your return, it’s only a matter of time before your ITR is processed.
What Can You Do to Speed Up ITR Processing?
How Long Does It Usually Take?