#-Link-Snipped-#â Sir - I think the difficulty level has nothing to do with the number of seats which are currently empty in several IIT's. The officials will always say whatever they want to ( because it is India). Â Students who qualify IIT have the following options based on their ranks -Â
1. If they have a good rank, they prefer top IIT's like Madras, Bombay, etc. where job opportunities are great, research opportunity is great, or profs. recommendation works so that they can go to the USA, etc. for further studies.Â
2. If they have a mid category rank but wants to go to IIT because of the above-mentioned benefits  - they still go to IIT( they end up taking BioTechnology etc. and later go to the USA and build up a great research career).
3. If they have a low rank - they don't go for the less popular courses offered by IIT. Instead, they go for IIST, top NIT's, IISER, BITS Pilani, etc. where career opportunities are great. They can easily complete a dual degree ( B.S + M.S) from these institutes and straightaway fly to the USA, etc. using the profs. recommendation. They can even get absorbed by good companies, etc. Â Those who are left behind ( because they don't want to go abroad/ they have family restrictions/ they are happy here), they continue their research and get great research benefits from these popular institutes.Â
Even if the officials lower down the JEE qualifying criteria and try to lure students, Â that is not going to work. Seats which stay vacant in IIT's include many dual degree programs, ocean engineering, etc. programs which are less popular in the country. They have stayed vacant in the past and will stay vacant in the future as well. No one will ever find a seat vacant in an IIT in their Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering Program.Â