ITR Processing Weekly Update
Last updated: Feb 10, 2026 (Week of Feb 3 - Feb 10)
TL;DR
- IT Department went beast mode - processing jumped from 25K/day to 2.3 lakh/day
- 4.28 lakh returns cleared in just 2 days (Feb 8-9)
- Pending backlog down to 47.2 lakh
- At this rate, backlog could clear by early March
The Numbers Don't Lie
Let's look at what actually happened this week. We track the official Income Tax portal daily, and the pattern that emerged is... well, see for yourself:
| Date | Returns Processed | Vibe Check |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 3 | +28,071 | Normal day |
| Feb 4 | +1,203 | Slow day (maybe a holiday?) |
| Feb 5 | +3,698 | Still slow |
| Feb 6 | +23,031 | Back to normal |
| Feb 7 | +20,423 | Normal |
| Feb 8 | +1,96,935 | Whoa, what happened?! |
| Feb 9 | +2,31,806 | They're on fire! |
That's not a typo. The IT Department went from processing ~20-25K returns per day to 2+ lakh per day. A 10x jump.
What Does This Mean For You?
If you're waiting for your refund, this is great news. Here's the current state:
When Will Everyone Get Their Refund?
Let's do some quick math:
If the IT Department maintains this pace (2L/day):
47.2 lakh ÷ 2 lakh/day = ~24 days to clear the entire backlog
That's early March 2026!
Of course, they might not keep up this speed. But even if they do half of this, we're looking at the backlog clearing much sooner than anyone expected.
The Curious Case of Feb 4-5
You might have noticed Feb 4 and 5 were unusually slow (just 1,203 and 3,698 processed). We're not sure why - could be:
- System maintenance
- Weekend/holiday effect
- Batch processing (saving up for the big push?)
Whatever the reason, the slowdown was followed by the biggest processing days we've ever recorded. Make of that what you will.
Other Interesting Numbers
While everyone focuses on refunds, here are some other trends from this week:
| Metric | Weekly Change |
|---|---|
| New Registered Users | +66,121 |
| Returns Filed (Aadhaar-PAN linked) | +67,327 |
| Returns Verified | +71,220 |
| Returns Processed | +5,05,167 |
Processing (5+ lakh) outpaced new verifications (71K) by a huge margin. This is exactly what you want to see if you're waiting for a refund - they're clearing the backlog faster than new returns are coming in.
What To Do If You're Still Waiting
- Check your e-verification status - Your return won't be processed until it's verified
- Make sure your bank account is pre-validated - This can cause delays at the last step
- Check for notices - Login to the e-filing portal and see if there are any pending actions
- Be patient (but hopeful) - The numbers are moving in the right direction
Pro tip: If it's been more than 60 days since you e-verified and still no refund, raise a grievance on the e-Nivaran portal. But given the current pace, you might want to wait another week or two first.
What We're Watching Next Week
- Will the 2L/day processing rate continue?
- How quickly is the backlog actually shrinking?
- Any new patterns in the data?
We'll be back next week with another update. Follow the live numbers anytime on our dashboard.
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See today's numbers and daily trends on our dashboard.
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