Examinations Timetabling System Based on A Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

Examination timetabling is a complicated issue that is part of the larger field of scheduling. Timetabling comes in a variety of forms based on the field, for which it is used. In this paper, we explore the problem of exam timetabling in a university. This problem had been defined as difficult to solve since it is generally done by hand over several days or weeks of iterative correction based on feedback from staff and students. We designed a computer-based application to generate an automated exam scheduler that was implemented on the data collected from the Faculty of Science at Omar Al-Mukhtar University. We study the problem of examination scheduling for the faculty intensely and propose a genetic algorithm based on a strategy for generating examination schedules that prioritize students’ achievement while meeting the hard constraints required for feasibility. Finally, an application entitled ‘Examination Scheduler’ has been developed and evaluated to confirm that it generates satisfactory results.