Genetic algorithms vs. Tabu search in timetable scheduling

In a timetabling problem, exam subjects must be slotted to certain times that satisfy several of constraints. They are NP-completeness problems, which usually lead to satisfactory but sub-optimal solutions. This paper investigates and compares Genetic Algorithm and Tabu Search approaches to solve these kinds of problem. The experiment shows that TS approach can produce better timetables than those of GA approach can. Further, the search time spent in TS is less than that of GA. However, GA can produce several different near optimal solutions simultaneously.