CONTENTS

TitlePage i

Declaration ii

Certificate iii

Acknowledgement iv

Contents v

List of Diagrams viii

ABSTRACT ix

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Challenges in Manual Examination Seating 2

1.2 Motivation 3

1.3 Objectives 4

1.4 Problem Statement 5

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Automated Examination Seating System Using Heuristic Algo-

rithms 6

2.2 AI-Based Exam Seating Arrangement Using Constraint Satisfaction 7

2.3 Graph Theory Approach for Exam Seat Planning 7

2.4 Genetic Algorithm for Optimized Seating Allocation 8

2.5 Reinforcement Learning for Exam Seat Distribution 8

2.6 Deep Learning-Based Exam Seating Arrangement Prediction 9

v
 2.7 Case Study on Automated Exam Scheduling and Seating Manage-
ment 9

2.8 Cloud-Based Seat Allocation System for Large-Scale Examinations 10

2.9 Disadvantages of Existing Systems 11

Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY 12

3.1 Overview and Limitations of the Existing System 12

3.2 Proposed System Workflow and Implementation 13

3.3 Software Requirements 23

3.4 Hardware Requirements 25

3.5 Python Packages 25

Chapter 4 UML DIAGRAMS 27

4.1 Use Case Diagram 27

4.2 Sequence Diagram 28

4.3 Activity Diagram 29

4.4 Component Diagram 30

4.5 Class Diagram 31

Chapter 5 IMPLEMENTED CODES 32

5.1 Flask Backend - app.py 32

5.2 Frontend - index.html 38

5.3 Frontend - result.html 39

5.4 Summary of Implementation 40

Chapter 6 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS 42

6.1 Input Page 42

vi
 6.2 Generated Seating Plan 43

6.3 Seating Plan in 6×8 Table Format 44

6.4 Nominal Rolls 45

6.5 Department-wise Seating Plan 46

6.6 Room-wise Seating Plan 46

6.7 Room-Department Seating Plan 47

Chapter 7 CONCLUSION AND FUTUREWORK 49

REFERENCES 50

vii
 LIST OF DIAGRAMS

3.1 Exam Seating planner 13

3.2 Student Details File 14

4.1 Use Case Diagram 27

4.2 Sequence Diagram 28

4.3 Activity Diagram 29

4.4 Component Diagram 30

4.5 Class Diagram 31

6.1 Input Page for Uploading Student and Examination Data 42

6.2 Generated Seating Plan After Applying Constraints 43

6.3 Seating Plan in 6×8 Table Format for Structured Representation 44

6.4 Generated Nominal Rolls for Student Verification 45

6.5 Department-wise Seating Plan 46

6.6 Room-wise Seating Plan 47

6.7 Room-Department Seating Plan 47

viii
 ABSTRACT

Examination seating arrangements play a vital role in maintaining fairness, prevent-

ing malpractice, and optimizing room utilization in educational institutions. Traditional
manual seating allocation is labor-intensive, prone to errors, and inefficient when han-
dling large student populations with diverse subject distributions. To address these chal-
lenges, this project introduces an Automated Exam Seating Planner developed using
Python and Flask. The system processes various input parameters, including depart-
ment names, subject codes, student roll numbers, room details, examination type, date,
and session, to generate an optimized seating plan. It ensures that no two students from
the same department or subject sit together while accommodating constraints such as
placing students from smaller departments in designated rooms. The generated seating
plan is structured into a 6×8 table format for clarity, with nominal rolls including stu-
dent details and spaces for booklet numbers and signatures. The system also provides
department-wise, room-wise, and all-room seating plans, which can be downloaded as
a ZIP file containing PDFs. By automating seat allocation, this solution reduces hu-
man effort, enhances efficiency, and eliminates bias, making exam planning seamless
for academic administrators.
Additionally, the system incorporates intelligent seat allocation algorithms to handle
last-minute changes, such as student absences or room reassignments, ensuring adapt-
ability without disrupting the overall seating arrangement. The interface is user-friendly,
allowing administrators to upload student and room data via Excel files and generate
seating plans with minimal manual intervention. The automated generation of nomi-
nal rolls simplifies invigilator duties, enhancing the examination process’s transparency.
Furthermore, the system provides real-time visualization of seating distributions, help-
ing administrators identify potential issues before finalizing arrangements. This scalable
and customizable solution can be adapted for various institutions, ensuring fairness and
efficiency in exam management.

Keywords: Exam seating arrangement, automated seating planner, Python Flask,

nominal rolls, educational assessment, room optimization, exam management system.

ix
 CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION

Examinations are a crucial aspect of education, serving as an assessment tool to mea-

sure students’ understanding and performance. Proper exam administration requires or-
ganized seating arrangements to maintain discipline, prevent malpractice, and optimize
the available infrastructure. Traditionally, examination seating is managed manually by
administrators and faculty members. The process involves sorting student lists, shuffling
students based on subject codes and departments, allocating them to rooms, and printing
nominal rolls.
However, manual seating allocation presents significant challenges, including time
consumption, human errors, lack of scalability, and inefficiency. The manual method
is especially impractical for large institutions where thousands of students take exams
simultaneously, requiring extensive faculty involvement and logistical planning. Addi-
tionally, ensuring that no two students from the same subject or department sit together
is a complex task when handled manually.
To address these challenges, we propose an Automated Exam Seating Planner that
leverages Python and Flask to dynamically generate seating arrangements based on pre-
defined constraints. The system ensures that students are seated randomly and fairly,
adhering to constraints that prevent students from the same department or subject from
sitting next to each other.
Once the seating plan is generated, it is structured into a 6×8 table format, ensuring
a standardized layout for easy verification and invigilation. Additionally, nominal rolls
are created, containing student roll numbers, names, and spaces for booklet numbers
and signatures. The system further enhances administrative efficiency by generating
department wise, room wise, and all room plans, which can be printed and displayed on
notice boards for quick reference.
The final outputs are provided as downloadable PDFs, with nominal rolls automati-
cally zipped into a single file for convenience. This streamlined approach reduces human
workload, eliminates errors, and ensures a fair, optimized, and scalable exam seating ar-
rangement.

1
1.1 Challenges in Manual Examination Seating
The traditional approach to seating arrangements relies heavily on human effort,
leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in managing large student populations. Some
key challenges include the following.

1.1.1 Time Consuming Process

Faculty members must manually sort student roll numbers and assign seats, which
can take several days or even weeks in institutions with large student populations. The
process involves verifying room capacities, cross checking multiple lists, and ensuring
fair seat distribution. If any modifications occur, such as the addition of a new student
or changes in room availability, the entire allocation must be redone, increasing admin-
istrative workload.

1.1.2 High Probability of Human Errors

Manual seating arrangements are prone to mistakes such as duplicate seat assign-
ments, incorrect placements, and misallocated rooms. Such errors may lead to confusion
on the examination day, causing unnecessary disruptions. Additionally, faculty bias in
seat allocation can lead to unfair advantages for certain students, further compromising
the integrity of the seating process.

1.1.3 Difficulty in Enforcing Constraints

Ensuring that students from the same department or subject do not sit together is
challenging when done manually. Faculty members often have to shuffle seat assign-
ments multiple times, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. In cases where certain de-
partments have fewer students, the process becomes even more complicated, requiring
special adjustments that can be difficult to manage without automation.

1.1.4 Poor Scalability

Manual seat allocation becomes impractical as the number of students increases.
Institutions handling thousands of students need an efficient and scalable solution that
can dynamically automate seat distribution while ensuring compliance with examination
rules. Without such a system, administrators struggle to keep up with the increasing
complexity of seating arrangements.

2
1.1.5 Lack of Real Time Modifications
Last minute changes, such as cancellations, updates in subject codes, or modifica-
tions in room availability, require extensive manual reallocation. If invigilators or faculty
members request changes, adjustments must be made manually, leading to delays and
increased workload for administrative staff.
Due to these challenges, there is a growing need for an automated examination seat-
ing planner that can efficiently allocate seats while ensuring fairness, accuracy, and com-
pliance with institutional rules.

1.2 Motivation
Examination seating arrangements play a crucial role in ensuring fairness, discipline,
and efficiency in academic institutions. However, the manual seat allocation process is
highly inefficient, requiring faculty members to spend significant time sorting student
lists, ensuring proper distribution, and handling last-minute changes. For institutions
conducting large-scale examinations, this process becomes even more challenging, lead-
ing to errors, mismanagement, and increased administrative burden.
A key issue in manual seat allocation is the difficulty in enforcing constraints, such
as preventing students from the same department or subject from sitting next to each
other. Human errors, duplicate seat assignments, and bias in distribution further compli-
cate the process. Additionally, handling modifications due to student absences or room
availability changes is time-consuming and disrupts the workflow.
To address these challenges, this project introduces an Automated Exam Seating
Planner, which eliminates manual inefficiencies by automatically generating optimized
seating plans. The system ensures real-time modifications, structured seating layouts,
and efficient report generation, significantly reducing faculty workload. By providing a
scalable, flexible, and user-friendly solution, this project aims to enhance fairness, accu-
racy, and operational efficiency in examination management. This automation not only
improves institutional productivity but also ensures a smoother and more transparent
examination process.

3
1.3 Objectives
The primary objective of this project is to develop an automated exam seating sys-
tem that eliminates manual inefficiencies, ensures fair allocation, and simplifies seat
management for educational institutions.

1.3.1 Automating the Exam Seating Arrangement

Automatically assign seats to students while enforcing strict constraints.Prevent stu-
dents from the same department or subject from sitting together.Handle special cases,
such as departments with fewer than 12 students, by allocating them to mixed depart-
ment rooms.

1.3.2 Reducing Manual Effort and Human Errors

Minimize faculty involvement by automating the entire seating process. Eliminate
seat duplication and misplacements through algorithmic seat allocation. Ensure proper
constraint handling, reducing malpractice risks.

1.3.3 Generating Structured Seating Plans

Format seating plans into a standardized 6×8 table layout, making them easier to
interpret. Generate department wise, room wise, and all room seating plans for faculty
and student reference. Create notice board friendly layouts to ensure transparency.

1.3.4 Providing Nominal Rolls for Invigilators

Generate nominal rolls containing roll numbers, student names, and blank spaces
for booklet numbers and signatures. Ensure quick and efficient student verification by
invigilators.

1.3.5 Enabling Easy Distribution and Access

Convert seating plans and nominal rolls into PDFs for direct printing and digital
access. Compress all nominal rolls into a ZIP file, ensuring organized downloads.

1.3.6 Enhancing User Experience with Additional Features

Develop a user friendly web interface using Flask. Enable real time updates, ensur-
ing modifications reflect instantly in the seating plan. Implement login authentication
for both students and administrators. Send automated email notifications to students
regarding seat allotments before the examination.

4
1.4 Problem Statement
The manual examination seating process is a time consuming, error prone, and in-
efficient method that lacks scalability, fairness, and ease of real time updates. Institu-
tions struggle to ensure that students from the same department or subject do not sit
together, leading to exam integrity risks. Additionally, last minute modifications in seat-
ing arrangements require extensive faculty involvement, further increasing administra-
tive workload.
To solve this, we propose an Automated Exam Seating Planner that: Efficiently
assigns seats while maintaining predefined constraints. Minimizes human errors and
eliminates the need for manual intervention. Handles real time updates, making last
minute adjustments seamless. Provides structured outputs in PDF format, ensuring easy
access and distribution.
This system enhances examination management efficiency by automating seat allo-
cation, report generation, and real time modifications, making it an essential tool for
educational institutions conducting large scale assessments.

5
 CHAPTER-2
LITERATURE REVIEW

Examination seating arrangements are essential for maintaining discipline, ensuring

fairness, and optimizing space usage in academic institutions. Traditional seating meth-
ods involve manual allocations, which are prone to errors, require extensive human ef-
fort, and are inefficient for handling large student populations. Several researchers have
explored computational techniques, optimization models, and artificial intelligence ap-
proaches to automate and optimize exam seating arrangements. This literature review
presents an analysis of research studies that contribute to the development of an auto-
mated exam seating planner.

2.1 Automated Examination Seating System Using Heuristic

Algorithms
Sharma and Gupta (2021) [1] introduced a heuristic-based exam seating allocation
system that optimizes seat assignment while maintaining fairness and efficiency. The
primary goal of their system is to automate the traditional manual process, reducing
faculty workload and minimizing errors in seat allocation. The system takes student roll
numbers, subject codes, and department details as inputs and applies constraint-based
placement rules to ensure that students from the same department or subject do not sit
adjacent to each other.
The heuristic model employs a greedy algorithm, which iteratively assigns seats
while maximizing available space utilization. One of the strengths of this approach is its
ability to efficiently allocate students to rooms without violating predefined constraints.
The study demonstrated a 40 percent reduction in manual allocation time compared
to traditional methods. However, the heuristic approach has limitations. It does not
dynamically adjust to last-minute changes in student enrollment or room availability.
Additionally, heuristic-based systems may not always find the globally optimal seating
arrangement, as they are based on local decision-making rather than complete optimiza-
tion models. This research highlights the need for more advanced computational models
that can dynamically handle constraints while optimizing room usage.

6
2.2 AI-Based Exam Seating Arrangement Using Constraint
Satisfaction
Patel and Verma (2022) [2] proposed an AI-driven exam seating allocation system
based on Constraint Satisfaction Programming (CSP). Their system enforces hard con-
straints, such as ensuring students from the same department or subject do not sit to-
gether, while also optimizing soft constraints, such as reducing empty seats and maxi-
mizing room utilization.
One of the major advantages of their approach is the ability to dynamically adjust
seating plans when last-minute changes occur, such as student dropouts or room unavail-
ability. The system uses constraint propagation techniques, allowing it to identify and
resolve conflicts efficiently. A significant strength of this approach is its ability to handle
complex constraints and dynamic modifications to seating plans in real-time. The study
demonstrated high efficiency in preventing seat conflicts and optimizing available room
space.
However, the major limitation of CSP-based methods is their computational cost—as
the number of students increases, the system requires higher processing power to solve
constraints effectively. While the study provides valuable insights into the use of AI in
seating allocation, there is still a need for more scalable solutions that balance real-time
optimization with computational efficiency.

2.3 Graph Theory Approach for Exam Seat Planning

Lee et al. (2020) [3] applied Graph Theory for exam seat planning, using graph
coloring techniques to model student placements. Their method represents students as
nodes and ensures that students from the same department or subject do not sit next to
each other by assigning different "colors" to adjacent nodes. Graph coloring techniques
provide an efficient way to enforce seating constraints while reducing conflicts.
The key advantage of using graph theory is its scalability—the method performs well
even for large institutions with thousands of students. The study reported a 25 percent
reduction in seat conflicts and improved overall room utilization efficiency. However,
one critical limitation is that graph theory approaches are static—they require predefined
constraints and do not handle real-time adjustments. The study highlights the potential
of graph-based models, but also underscores the need for hybrid approaches that inte-

7
grate graph theory with AI-based adaptive methods.

2.4 Genetic Algorithm for Optimized Seating Allocation

Khan et al. (2021) [4] developed an optimization model for exam seating using
Genetic Algorithms (GA). Their system generates an initial population of seating plans
and improves them iteratively through selection, crossover, and mutation operations.
The GA-based model successfully minimizes conflicts and ensures fair seat distribution
by continuously refining the seat assignments.
One of the main advantages of genetic algorithms is their ability to find near-optimal
solutions without requiring explicit predefined constraints. The study found that their
approach reduced examination malpractice risks by 30 percent compared to rule-based
methods. However, GA-based methods are computationally expensive, especially for
large-scale institutions. Since GA does not guarantee the absolute best solution, it may
sometimes generate suboptimal seating arrangements. This research highlights the im-
portance of combining genetic algorithms with other optimization techniques to enhance
accuracy and efficiency.

2.5 Reinforcement Learning for Exam Seat Distribution

Reddy et al. (2023) [5] proposed a Reinforcement Learning (RL) model that dynam-
ically adapts seat assignments based on real-time constraints. The model is trained on
historical seating data and learns to optimize space allocation, fairness, and seating con-
straints. Unlike traditional static seating plans, RL models enable adaptive modifications
based on changing conditions such as student dropouts, room changes, or last-minute
additions.
The study demonstrated that RL-based models outperformed traditional scheduling
algorithms by 35 percent in seating efficiency. However, the main challenge with RL
models is their training phase, which requires a large dataset of past seating assignments.
Additionally, RL models need continuous monitoring and updates to ensure optimal per-
formance. While RL is a promising direction, integrating it with constraint satisfaction
techniques could enhance its applicability in large-scale educational settings.

8
2.6 Deep Learning-Based Exam Seating Arrangement Pre-
diction
Wang and Zhang (2022) [6] proposed a deep learning-based approach to optimize
exam seating arrangements. Their system utilized a combination of Convolutional Neu-
ral Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to predict op-
timal seating assignments. The model was trained using historical seating data, exam
formats, and spatial constraints to enhance the seat allocation process.
CNNs were used for seat classification based on predefined constraints, while LSTM
networks were employed to predict modifications required for future exams. The deep
learning model demonstrated significant improvements in seating accuracy, reducing
seat misallocations by 20 percent compared to rule-based assignment methods. The
study also highlighted the ability of deep learning models to detect potential seating
conflicts before they occur, ensuring a structured and optimized seating plan.
Despite its advantages, the deep learning-based approach faces some limitations.
The system requires a large amount of labeled training data, which may not always be
available for every institution. Additionally, training deep learning models is computa-
tionally expensive, making it less feasible for smaller institutions with limited hardware
resources. Furthermore, the model lacks adaptability for last-minute changes, requiring
additional modules for real-time seat reallocation. While this study demonstrates the po-
tential of deep learning in seating allocation, integrating it with rule-based or constraint
satisfaction techniques could improve its adaptability and efficiency.

2.7 Case Study on Automated Exam Scheduling and Seating

Management
Kumar and Nair (2021) [7] conducted a case study on the real-world implementation
of an automated exam seating and scheduling system in a university setting. The study
focused on integrating seating allocation with existing student databases and room man-
agement software, ensuring that updates to student registrations and room availability
are automatically reflected in the seating plan.
The key findings of this study indicate that automated seat planning significantly
reduced faculty workload, cutting down manual effort by 50 percent. The system also

9
improved the accuracy of seat assignments, minimizing instances of misallocation and
duplicate assignments. By automating the process, universities were able to generate
structured seating plans in minutes rather than hours, ensuring timely exam preparation.
One of the strengths of this case study is its real-world applicability. Unlike theoret-
ical models, this implementation was tested in an actual academic institution, proving
its effectiveness in reducing administrative overhead. However, some limitations were
noted. The system relied heavily on pre-existing student databases, meaning any incon-
sistencies in database records could impact seating accuracy. Moreover, the study did
not explore real-time seat adjustments, making it less flexible for handling last-minute
changes. Future enhancements, such as AI-based optimization and real-time realloca-
tion, could improve the system’s efficiency and adaptability.

2.8 Cloud-Based Seat Allocation System for Large-Scale Ex-

aminations
Bose et al. (2023) [8] introduced a cloud-based exam seating system designed to
handle large-scale examinations efficiently. The system was developed using Google
Firebase for real-time data synchronization and allowed remote access to seating plans,
enabling administrators to update and modify seat allocations dynamically.
The study demonstrated that cloud-based solutions improve collaboration between
faculty members and administrators, ensuring that seating arrangements remain accurate
and up-to-date. The system also supported automated PDF report generation, allowing
exam coordinators to download and distribute seating plans and nominal rolls efficiently.
Additionally, cloud storage ensured that data was not lost due to hardware failures, im-
proving system reliability.
While cloud-based systems provide several benefits, the study also highlighted some
challenges. The reliance on an internet connection means that any network disruptions
could impact access to seating plans. Additionally, integrating cloud solutions with
legacy student management systems required technical expertise, posing a challenge for
institutions with limited IT infrastructure. Despite these limitations, cloud-based exam
seating solutions present a scalable and flexible approach, particularly for institutions
conducting large-scale assessments across multiple campuses.

10
2.9 Disadvantages of Existing Systems
• Despite advancements in automated exam seating allocation, existing systems still
face several challenges:

• Many AI-based models require significant processing power, making them less
suitable for real-time applications in large institutions.

• Traditional models struggle with dynamic modifications, requiring manual inter-

vention for last-minute changes.

• Graph-based and heuristic methods require predefined constraints and do not au-
tomatically adjust to changing student enrollments.

• Some methods, such as genetic algorithms and constraint programming, become

computationally infeasible as the number of students increases.

• Most existing methods focus on either AI or optimization, but an effective system

requires an integrated hybrid approach combining machine learning, constraint
satisfaction, and real-time adaptability.

11
 CHAPTER-3
METHODOLOGY

3.1 Overview and Limitations of the Existing System

The manual approach to examination seating arrangements presents numerous chal-
lenges that hinder efficiency, fairness, and overall examination integrity. In traditional
institutions, faculty members are responsible for manually sorting student data, ensuring
that students from the same department or subject are not seated together, and distribut-
ing students across rooms based on available space. This process requires meticulous
planning and frequent modifications, leading to a substantial administrative burden. The
complexity increases when last-minute changes occur, such as the addition or removal
of students, room availability adjustments, or modifications to exam schedules.
One of the most significant drawbacks of manual seat allocation is the time-consuming
nature of the process. Assigning students to specific seats while adhering to institutional
constraints may take several days, especially in institutions with a large student pop-
ulation. Faculty members must repeatedly check seating plans to ensure compliance
with examination guidelines, leading to exhaustion and increased chances of errors. Ad-
ditionally, human errors such as duplicate seating assignments, incorrect placement of
students, and failure to enforce department-wise separation frequently occur, resulting
in confusion and disputes on the exam day. Another major limitation of the existing
system is its lack of scalability. As student enrollment increases, the manual method be-
comes impractical, making it difficult to accommodate large numbers of students while
maintaining examination integrity. The absence of real-time updates and automation
means that any modifications in student records or seating arrangements require faculty
members to redo the entire plan, leading to inefficiencies and logistical difficulties.
To overcome these challenges, this project introduces an automated exam seating
planner, which leverages computational algorithms to automate seat allocation, ensur-
ing strict enforcement of constraints while optimizing room utilization. The system
dynamically assigns students to available seats while preventing students from the same
department or subject from sitting adjacent to one another. This section describes the

12
methodology used in developing the system, detailing each step from data input to final
seat assignment and report generation.

3.2 Proposed System Workflow and Implementation

The automated exam seating system as shown in Fig 3.1 follows a structured work-
flow that involves multiple stages, ensuring accuracy, fairness, and scalability in the seat
allocation process. The methodology consists of seven key steps, starting from data col-
lection and validation to seat assignment, structured formatting, and final report genera-
tion. Each phase is designed to ensure that the system meets examination requirements
while reducing manual workload.

Figure 3.1: Exam Seating planner

3.2.1 Data Input and Preprocessing

The first and one of the most crucial steps in the automated examination seating plan-
ner is the collection and preprocessing of examination-related data. The accuracy and
efficiency of the entire system heavily depend on properly formatted and validated input
data. The system requires users, to upload essential details regarding the examination,
such as the number of departments participating, subject codes, subject names, student
roll numbers, department names, and available room information. This information is
collected through an Excel file, as shown in Fig 3.2 which serves as the primary data

13
source and is uploaded through a web-based interface.
Once the Excel file is uploaded, the system extracts the relevant data from predefined
columns. The structure of the uploaded file must adhere to a specific format to ensure
smooth processing. The expected format consists of multiple columns, including roll
numbers, student names, departments, subject codes, and assigned rooms if applicable.
To prevent errors, the system first verifies the integrity of the file, ensuring that it is
a valid Excel format with extensions such as xlsx or xls and is not corrupted. If the
file does not meet these criteria, an error message is displayed, prompting the user to
re-upload a correctly formatted file.
After successful file validation, the preprocessing phase begins, which involves mul-
tiple steps to clean and standardize the data. The first step in preprocessing is checking
for missing values. If any essential information such as roll numbers, department names,
or subject codes is missing, the system flags these entries and either prompts the user to
correct them manually or automatically removes them based on predefined rules. This
ensures that incomplete records do not interfere with seat allocation. The next step is
duplicate detection, where the system scans the dataset to identify any students who
may have been accidentally included more than once. Duplicate roll numbers or student
entries are flagged, and administrators are notified to verify the data before proceeding
further.

Figure 3.2: Student Details File

Following this, the system performs data normalization to maintain consistency

across the dataset. Department names and subject codes are converted into a standard-
ized format to prevent discrepancies caused by variations in spelling or naming conven-

14
tions. For example, if some records contain "CSE" while others have "Computer Science
Engineering," the system ensures uniformity by mapping all variations to a common for-
mat. Similarly, subject names are checked against a predefined list to ensure that they
are accurately entered.
Another crucial step in data preprocessing is sorting the dataset. Students are grouped
based on their departments and subject codes to facilitate an efficient seating arrange-
ment process. The sorting algorithm ensures that students from the same department
are processed together, making it easier to enforce constraints such as preventing stu-
dents from the same department or subject from sitting adjacent to each other. Sorting
also optimizes the allocation algorithm by ensuring that students are assigned seats in a
structured and systematic manner.
Additionally, the system performs room capacity validation, ensuring that the num-
ber of students does not exceed the total seating capacity available. The room allocation
data is cross-checked against the number of students to confirm that there are sufficient
seats available for the examination. If the total number of students exceeds the available
capacity, the system alerts the administrator, suggesting adjustments such as reassigning
students to different rooms or increasing the number of examination halls.
After completing these preprocessing steps, the final cleaned and structured dataset
is stored in memory for further processing in the seat allocation phase. At this stage, the
dataset is completely formatted, error-free, and optimized for efficient seat distribution.
The preprocessing module plays a critical role in ensuring that only valid and well-
structured data is fed into the allocation algorithm, preventing complications during the
later stages of the seating arrangement process.
With the data preprocessing complete, the system proceeds to the next stage, where
students are systematically assigned to seats based on predefined constraints, ensuring
fairness and optimal room utilization.

3.2.2 Constraint-Based Seat Allocation

Seat allocation is a crucial step in the automated examination seating planner, ensur-
ing that students are assigned to seats while strictly adhering to predefined constraints.
The primary objective of the allocation process is to prevent students from the same
department or subject from sitting next to each other while also making efficient use
of available space within examination halls. The system processes student records and

15
assigns them to rooms in a structured manner to maintain examination integrity and
fairness.
The system follows a structured approach where the allocation process begins with
identifying the total number of students, the departments they belong to, and the number
of subjects in the examination. The list of available rooms and their respective capacities
is then loaded into the system. Each room consists of a predefined number of benches,
and each bench can accommodate two students. The allocation algorithm processes
students in batches while ensuring that no two students from the same department or
subject are placed adjacent to each other. The system systematically distributes students
across multiple rooms while following a well-defined set of constraints.
One of the core constraints enforced during seat allocation is department-wise sep-
aration. The system ensures that two students from the same department are not seated
together on the same bench or in adjacent positions. This constraint is enforced through
a structured mapping process, where students from different departments are alternately
placed to avoid direct proximity. If a room reaches near capacity and the only remaining
students belong to the same department, the system attempts to place them in a different
room to maintain fairness. If no alternative room is available, the allocation algorithm
makes adjustments by ensuring that students from the same department are separated as
much as possible within the same room.
Another important constraint is subject-wise separation, ensuring that students tak-
ing the same subject are not seated next to one another. This is particularly important in
multi-departmental subjects where students from different departments may be taking
the same examination. The system scans through the list of students and ensures that
individuals with identical subject codes are seated at a reasonable distance from each
other. This constraint is enforced dynamically during seat allocation, and if any viola-
tion is detected, the system reshuffles the seating arrangement to maintain compliance.
The seat allocation process also includes special handling for departments with a
small number of students. If a department has fewer than twelve students, placing them
in a separate room may lead to underutilization of space. To optimize room usage while
ensuring compliance with seating constraints, the system groups students from multiple
departments with low student counts into shared rooms. The allocation strategy ensures
that even in such shared rooms, students from the same department do not sit next to

16
each other, thereby maintaining examination fairness. This approach allows the system
to maximize seating capacity without compromising constraint enforcement.
To efficiently allocate seats while maintaining constraints, the system follows a
greedy algorithmic approach. The algorithm processes students sequentially and as-
signs them to the next available seat that satisfies all constraints. The steps involved in
the allocation algorithm are as follows. First, the student list is sorted based on depart-
ment and subject codes to facilitate structured placement. The first student is assigned to
the first available bench in the first room. The next student is checked to ensure that they
do not belong to the same department or subject as the first student. If this condition is
satisfied, they are seated next to the first student; otherwise, the algorithm searches for
the next best seat that meets all constraints. This process continues iteratively, with the
system dynamically adjusting seating assignments if conflicts arise.
In cases where the seating plan reaches a point where constraints cannot be strictly
enforced due to limited room availability, the system follows an adjustment mechanism.
If a student must be placed next to another from the same department due to room con-
straints, the system ensures that this only occurs as a last resort and that such placements
are minimized across the seating plan. Additionally, an alternative placement strategy
is applied in cases where some rooms have excess capacity while others are near full.
The system redistributes students across available rooms to maintain an even seating
distribution.
Another layer of complexity in seat allocation arises when last-minute modifica-
tions occur. If students are added or removed after the initial seat allocation, the system
updates the seating plan dynamically while ensuring minimal disruption to existing allo-
cations. The algorithm recalculates placements only for the affected students rather than
modifying the entire plan. This ensures that real-time changes can be accommodated
without significantly affecting the overall seat arrangement.
After seat allocation is completed, the system validates the generated seating plan
to ensure that all constraints have been successfully enforced. If any violations are
detected, the system runs an optimization process that adjusts seat placements to resolve
conflicts. The final allocation is then stored for further processing in the seating plan
generation phase, where the assigned seats are formatted into a structured tabular layout
for display and reporting purposes.

17
 Seat allocation plays a fundamental role in ensuring that the examination process
remains fair, organized, and optimized for efficient space utilization. By following a
structured algorithm that dynamically assigns students while preventing constraint vio-
lations, the system provides an effective solution for managing large-scale examination
seating arrangements. With seat allocation completed, the system proceeds to the next
step, where the seating plan is converted into a structured table format for clear visual-
ization and documentation.

3.2.3 Seating Plan Generation

Once the seat allocation process is successfully completed, the system proceeds to
generate a structured seating plan that represents the assigned seating positions in a
well-organized tabular format. The primary objective of this step is to create a layout
that is easy to interpret and allows faculty members and examination administrators to
visualize how students are distributed across various rooms. The seating plan provides
a clear representation of how constraints have been enforced and ensures that no two
students from the same department or subject are seated adjacent to each other.
The seating arrangement is formatted into a structured table where each row repre-
sents a bench and each column represents a student placement. The standard layout used
in this system follows a six by eight table format, meaning that each room contains six
rows of benches, with each bench accommodating two students. This ensures that seat-
ing remains uniform across rooms and follows institutional examination regulations.
The structured tabular layout is dynamically generated based on the allocated student
data, ensuring that every assigned seat is accurately displayed. The system carefully
maps student roll numbers to specific seat positions, maintaining a systematic organiza-
tion that is both readable and efficient for examination supervisors.
During the seating plan generation process, the system verifies whether any seats
remain unoccupied due to an uneven distribution of students. If any empty seats are
identified, they are clearly marked as vacant to prevent confusion during the examina-
tion. The ability to visually differentiate between occupied and vacant seats ensures that
invigilators and examination administrators can quickly confirm seating arrangements
without any ambiguity. The table structure also accounts for cases where departments
with fewer students have been grouped together in shared rooms, ensuring that the seat
allocation follows predefined constraints while maximizing room utilization.

18
 To enhance readability, the seating plan is formatted with appropriate spacing, head-
ers, and labels. Each room is assigned a unique identifier, and within each room, students
are placed in a structured sequence that follows the allocation order. The seat numbering
is sequentially assigned to maintain consistency in student placement. The room details,
including the total number of benches, available capacity, and assigned students, are dis-
played as part of the seating plan. This structured approach ensures that administrators
can quickly verify the seat assignments and identify any necessary modifications before
finalizing the seating arrangement.
A key feature of the seating plan generation step is the ability to accommodate
last-minute changes. If a student is added or removed after the initial allocation, the
system dynamically updates the seating arrangement to reflect the modifications. The
updated seating plan is recalculated while ensuring that previously assigned students
remain in their designated positions, minimizing disruptions. The system intelligently
adjusts placements by shifting students where necessary, ensuring that the constraints
related to department-wise and subject-wise separation continue to be enforced even
after modifications.
To facilitate seamless usage, the seating plan is designed to be exportable in multiple
formats, making it accessible for both digital and printed distribution. The seating plan
can be viewed on the user interface, where faculty members can preview the arrange-
ments before finalizing the layout. Additionally, the generated seating plan is stored for
further processing in subsequent steps, where it is formatted into printable documents
such as PDFs for official use.
The structured seating plan provides an essential foundation for the examination
process, ensuring that student placements are well-documented, easy to interpret, and
compliant with institutional regulations. With the seating plan generation complete, the
system proceeds to the next phase, where nominal rolls are created to assist invigilators
in verifying student attendance during the examination.

3.2.4 Nominal Roll Creation

The generation of nominal rolls is a crucial step in the automated examination seat-
ing planner, as it facilitates invigilation, attendance tracking, and verification of student
identities during the examination. The nominal roll serves as an official document that
lists all students assigned to a specific examination room, allowing invigilators to sys-

19
tematically record attendance while ensuring that each student occupies the correct seat.
The nominal roll creation process is automated to minimize human errors and to provide
an organized record that simplifies administrative tasks during exams.
Each nominal roll is generated separately for every examination room, ensuring that
student details are accurately recorded. The nominal roll includes essential information
such as student roll numbers, names, and designated seat numbers based on the finalized
seating plan. Additionally, the document contains spaces for entering booklet numbers
and capturing student signatures, which helps in confirming attendance and tracking
answer booklets. This structured approach ensures that all students are accounted for
and that there are no discrepancies in seat assignments.
The system processes student data from the seating plan and formats it into a struc-
tured tabular layout for clarity and readability. The format of the nominal roll is designed
to be print-friendly so that faculty members and examination administrators can easily
distribute and use it during the exam. Each nominal roll includes a header displaying the
institution name, the room number, the date and session of the examination, and the type
of exam being conducted. Below the header, the main table lists each student’s details in
a sequential manner, ensuring that the order of seating corresponds to the room layout.
To ensure accuracy, the system performs a final validation check before generating
the nominal rolls. This validation ensures that all students appearing in the nominal roll
are correctly assigned to their respective rooms and that there are no missing entries. If
any inconsistencies are detected, the system alerts the administrator, allowing necessary
corrections before finalizing the document. This prevents issues such as missing student
records, misallocated seats, or duplicate entries, which could cause confusion during the
examination.
In addition to individual room-wise nominal rolls, the system provides an option to
generate department-wise summaries that list all students appearing for an exam within
a particular department. This feature is useful for academic administrators who need
an overview of student allocations without referring to individual room sheets. The
nominal roll generation process also accounts for last-minute modifications, such as
student additions or removals, ensuring that any changes are automatically reflected in
the final documents.
The nominal rolls are generated in digital format and stored as PDF files, allow-

20
ing them to be easily printed and distributed before the examination. The system also
includes a batch processing feature that allows administrators to download all nominal
rolls at once in a compressed ZIP file, facilitating quick access to all required documents.
This bulk download capability is particularly useful for large-scale examinations where
multiple rooms need to be managed efficiently.
By automating the creation of nominal rolls, the system significantly reduces the ad-
ministrative burden on faculty members and examination coordinators. Instead of man-
ually preparing attendance sheets and verifying seat assignments, invigilators receive a
structured document that is ready for use. This automation improves the efficiency of
the examination process while ensuring accuracy in student placement and attendance
tracking.
With the nominal roll generation complete, the system moves to the final phase,
where all seating plans and related documents are prepared for final distribution and
downloading.

3.2.5 PDF and ZIP File Generation

Once the seating plan and nominal rolls have been finalized, the system proceeds
to generate the final examination documents in a standardized format. This step en-
sures that all seat assignments, department-wise and room-wise distributions, and nom-
inal rolls are properly documented and made available for easy access and distribution.
To ensure efficiency, the system automatically converts all generated seating plans and
nominal rolls into PDF files, allowing administrators and faculty members to retrieve
and print them as needed. The automation of this process eliminates the need for man-
ually preparing seat distribution lists, reducing administrative workload and preventing
potential errors in document formatting.
The seating plan is generated in multiple formats to provide flexibility in its usage.
The system creates separate PDF documents for department-wise seat allocations, room-
wise seat assignments, and a consolidated seating plan that combines all rooms. The
department-wise seating plan lists students from a specific department along with their
assigned rooms and seats, making it easier for department heads and faculty members to
assist students in locating their designated seats. The room-wise seating plan provides an
overview of the seating arrangement for each examination hall, ensuring that invigilators
have a clear reference when verifying student placements. The consolidated seating plan

21
serves as a master document that includes all seat assignments across all departments
and rooms, allowing examination coordinators to oversee the entire arrangement from a
single file.
In addition to seating plans, the system also generates nominal rolls in PDF for-
mat for each examination room. The nominal rolls list student details, including roll
numbers, names, seat numbers, and spaces for booklet numbers and signatures. These
documents are essential for attendance tracking and answer booklet distribution during
the examination. By providing these documents in a standardized format, the system en-
sures that invigilators can efficiently manage the examination process without confusion
or errors.
To enhance accessibility and organization, the system includes a feature for com-
pressing all nominal rolls into a single ZIP file. This allows administrators to download
all required documents in one step instead of retrieving them individually. The ZIP file
contains separate PDF files for each examination room, ensuring that invigilators can
access and print the required documents for their respective rooms without searching
through multiple files. The compression process does not alter the document structure
or quality, ensuring that all details remain intact when extracted.
Once the PDF generation and ZIP compression processes are complete, the system
provides an interface for downloading all examination documents. Users can download
individual department-wise, room-wise, and consolidated seating plans as separate PDF
files or retrieve the complete ZIP archive containing all nominal rolls. This approach
allows faculty members and examination coordinators to efficiently distribute seating
plans and attendance records among invigilators and students. The system also ensures
that any modifications made before finalizing the seating plan are reflected in the gener-
ated PDFs, maintaining accuracy and consistency in the provided documents.
The automation of PDF and ZIP file generation significantly enhances the overall
efficiency of the examination seating planner. By providing digital access to well-
structured seating plans and nominal rolls, the system eliminates the need for manual
paperwork and ensures that all essential documents are readily available before the ex-
amination begins. The structured document generation process not only reduces ad-
ministrative burden but also minimizes the risk of miscommunication regarding seat
assignments.

22
 With the completion of this step, the examination seating arrangement process is
fully automated, ensuring that all necessary seating plans and attendance records are
properly documented and available for distribution. The generated documents serve as
the final output of the system, enabling smooth execution of the examination process
while maintaining clarity and compliance with institutional seating policies.

3.3 Software Requirements

The automated examination seating planner relies on several essential software li-
braries that enable efficient data processing, web-based interaction, and document gen-
eration. The primary modules used in the system include Flask for web application
development, Pandas for data processing, OpenPyXL for handling Excel files, and Re-
portLab for generating structured PDF documents.

3.3.1 Flask: Web Framework for System Interface

Flask is a lightweight web framework that facilitates the development of interac-
tive web applications. In this system, Flask is used to create a user-friendly interface
where faculty members and administrators can upload student data, configure seating
constraints, and download the generated seating plans. The framework provides essen-
tial functionalities such as handling HTTP requests, rendering HTML templates, and
managing user sessions. The render template function is used to dynamically gener-
ate web pages, while the request module captures form data submitted by users. Flask
also supports session management, allowing temporary storage of data while processing
seat allocation. Additionally, Flask provides an API for file handling, enabling users to
upload Excel sheets containing student details and retrieve processed reports.

3.3.2 Pandas: Data Processing and Analysis

Pandas is a powerful data manipulation library used for reading, processing, and
managing structured data. In the examination seating planner, Pandas is responsible for
handling student records extracted from uploaded Excel files. The system reads student
details, including roll numbers, department names, and subject codes, using the Pandas
read excel function. Once the data is loaded, Pandas is used to clean and preprocess
the dataset by identifying missing values, removing duplicates, and standardizing text
formats. The library provides efficient sorting and filtering functionalities, which are

23
essential for structuring student allocations based on department and subject constraints.
Pandas also plays a crucial role in generating department-wise and room-wise seating
plans, ensuring that the data is accurately structured before converting it into reports.

3.3.3 OpenPyXL: Excel File Handling

OpenPyXL is a Python library used for reading, writing, and modifying Excel files
in xlsx format. This module is integrated into the system to process the student data
uploaded by administrators. The system uses OpenPyXL to extract relevant information
from Excel sheets, including student names, roll numbers, and subject assignments.
Unlike Pandas, which is optimized for structured data analysis, OpenPyXL provides
fine-grained control over individual spreadsheet cells, making it useful for formatting
and modifying Excel documents. The module allows the system to create new Excel
files and update existing ones, ensuring that administrators can access structured student
records even before generating seating plans. OpenPyXL also plays a role in validating
uploaded files, checking for missing columns or improperly formatted data, thereby
preventing errors in seat allocation.

3.3.4 ReportLab: PDF Generation for Seating Plans and Nominal

Rolls
ReportLab is a document generation library used to create structured and profes-
sional PDF reports. The system leverages ReportLab to convert seating plans and nom-
inal rolls into well-formatted PDF documents. The canvas module from ReportLab is
used to create new PDF files, allowing the system to draw tables, add text, and apply
formatting styles. The SimpleDocTemplate and Table classes are used to design struc-
tured layouts for seating arrangements, ensuring that the generated reports are readable
and printable. ReportLab supports custom styling through the TableStyle and Paragraph
classes, allowing the system to highlight important details such as student names, roll
numbers, and assigned seat numbers. Additionally, the system uses the landscape page
setting from ReportLab to ensure that seating plans fit well within the document di-
mensions. By integrating ReportLab, the system automates the process of generating
print-ready seating plans and nominal rolls, reducing the need for manual report format-
ting.
These four core modules play a crucial role in the functioning of the examination

24
seating planner. Flask enables the interactive web-based interface, Pandas processes
and structures the student data, OpenPyXL handles Excel file operations, and Report-
Lab generates formatted PDF reports. Together, these components ensure a seamless
workflow, from data input to seat allocation and final report generation.

3.4 Hardware Requirements

The system requires specific hardware specifications to ensure smooth performance,
especially when processing large student datasets and generating multiple PDF reports.
The following are the minimum and recommended hardware configurations.

3.4.1 Minimum Hardware Requirements

• Processor: Dual-Core CPU (Intel Core i3 or equivalent)

• RAM: 4 GB

• Storage: 10 GB free disk space

• Operating System: Windows 10, macOS, or Linux

• Additional Requirements: Python 3.7 or later, Web Browser (Google Chrome,

Mozilla Firefox)

3.5 Python Packages

The automatic exam seating planner project utilizes multiple Python packages, each
serving a specific function in data processing, web development, file handling, and report
generation.
Flask is a lightweight web framework that enables the development of the system’s
user interface, handling HTTP requests, rendering HTML templates, and managing
server-side logic. It allows administrators to upload student data, configure exam de-
tails, and generate seating plans dynamically.
Flask-Session extends Flask by providing server-side session management, enabling
the temporary storage of user data during the seating allocation process. This ensures
that user interactions remain consistent across multiple requests.
Pandas is a powerful data manipulation library used for reading and processing stu-
dent data from Excel files. It helps structure the seating arrangement efficiently by
filtering, sorting, and cleaning inconsistencies such as duplicate or missing entries.

25
 OpenPyXL is employed for handling Excel file operations, allowing the system to
extract and update spreadsheet data. It ensures seamless integration between the system
and the input student records stored in Excel format.
ReportLab is used for generating structured PDF documents, including seating plans
and nominal rolls. It provides tools for formatting tables, adding styles, and ensuring
print-ready reports.
Zipfile is utilized to compress all nominal rolls into a single ZIP file, allowing users
to download them in an organized manner. This feature improves accessibility and en-
sures structured storage of seating documents.
OS provides functions for interacting with the operating system, managing file paths,
and automating file handling tasks such as reading and saving reports.
UUID is used to generate unique identifiers for temporary files and session-based
storage, preventing conflicts and ensuring secure handling of user-generated files.
Tempfile is essential for creating temporary files that store intermediate data before
final processing. It ensures efficient memory usage by managing temporary storage
dynamically.
Together, these packages automate the entire examination seating process, from stu-
dent data collection to final report generation, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and scala-
bility. System analysis content.

26
 CHAPTER-4
UML DIAGRAMS

4.1 Use Case Diagram

The use case diagram Fig 4.1 illustrates the interactions between various users and
the Exam Seating Planner System. The system includes four main actors: Developer,
Admin, Student, and System. The Developer is responsible for developing and deploy-
ing the system. The Admin handles exam management tasks such as uploading student
data, configuring exam details, generating seating plans, downloading reports, and gen-
erating nominal rolls for invigilators.

Figure 4.1: Use Case Diagram

The Student interacts with the system by viewing seating assignments in different
formats, including room-wise, department-wise, and all-room plans, as well as checking
noticeboard displays. The System processes student records, applies seating constraints,
and generates structured reports for download. The diagram clearly represents the au-
tomated workflow, ensuring an efficient, accurate, and fair seat allocation process while
reducing manual effort.

27
4.2 Sequence Diagram
The sequence diagram represents Fig 4.2 the step-by-step flow of interactions be-
tween different users and the Exam Seating Planner System. The primary actors in the
system are the Developer, Admin, and Student, while the system itself and session man-
agement are also depicted. The Developer is responsible for developing and deploying
the system. The Admin initiates the process by uploading student data, which is stored in
the system, followed by configuring exam details, which are then saved in the database.

Figure 4.2: Sequence Diagram

The admin then generates the seating plan, which involves fetching student and room
data, applying seating constraints, and saving the final seat assignments. Once the seat-
ing plan is generated, the admin can download it, generate nominal rolls, and fetch and
save them in the system. The admin can also download room-wise, department-wise,
and all-room department plans for distribution. Students can access and view their seat-
ing plans either through the noticeboard display or by directly retrieving them from the
system. The sequence diagram provides a clear representation of how data flows through
different stages, ensuring a structured and automated seat allocation process.

28
4.3 Activity Diagram
The activity diagram as in Fig 4.3 represents the workflow of the Exam Seating
Planner System, illustrating the sequence of actions from system development to student
seat viewing. The process begins with the developer building and deploying the system
online. The administrator then uploads student data, configures examination details, and
validates the input. If the data is valid, the system proceeds to generate the seating plan,
apply seating constraints, and store the plan in the database.

Figure 4.3: Activity Diagram

The administrator can then download the seating plan, generate nominal rolls, store
them in the database, and download various seating plans, including room-wise, department-
wise, and all-room department plans. If the input data is invalid, an error message is dis-
played, prompting the administrator to correct the data. The final step involves students
accessing their assigned seating arrangements through a noticeboard display. This struc-
tured flow ensures an organized and automated seat allocation process while maintaining
accuracy and efficiency.

29
4.4 Component Diagram
The component diagram as in Fig 4.4 illustrates the architecture of the Exam Seat-
ing Planner System, highlighting the interactions between different components. The
system consists of three main components: Admin Device, Student Device, and Cloud
Server. Both the admin and student access the system through a web browser, sending
HTTP requests to the cloud server, which hosts the Flask-based web application.

Figure 4.4: Component Diagram

The Flask application processes these requests, performs seat allocation, and in-
teracts with the session database to store and retrieve student and seating data. The
database ensures data persistence, allowing the system to maintain examination details
efficiently. The diagram provides a clear representation of how the system components
interact, ensuring seamless data flow and accessibility for users.

30
4.5 Class Diagram
The class diagram Fig 4.5 represents the structure of the Exam Seating Planner Sys-
tem by defining its key classes and their relationships. The system consists of multiple
classes, each responsible for a specific function. The Student class stores student details
such as roll number, name, department, and subject code.

Figure 4.5: Class Diagram

The Room class contains information about the room name and total benches avail-
able, with a method to assign students. The SeatingPlan class manages a list of students
and rooms, implementing methods to generate a seating plan and apply constraints.
The ReportGenerator class is responsible for creating different seating plans, includ-
ing room-wise, department-wise, and all-room plans. The NominalRoll class generates
nominal rolls for invigilators, containing student details. The Database class handles
data storage operations, including saving student data, seating plans, and nominal rolls.
The System class oversees deployment and noticeboard display functionality. The dia-
gram illustrates how these classes interact, ensuring a structured and organized approach
to seat allocation and examination management.

31
 CHAPTER-5
IMPLEMENTED CODES

This chapter presents the key implementation details of the Automated Exam Seat-
ing Planner. The system is developed using Flask for backend processing, HTML for
frontend templates, and integrated with database operations for handling student records
and seat allocations. The following sections provide the core Python backend logic and
associated HTML templates used for rendering input forms and displaying results.

5.1 Flask Backend - app.py

The Flask application serves as the central processing unit of the system. It handles
HTTP requests, processes student data, applies seat allocation constraints, and generates
downloadable seating plans and nominal rolls.

from flask import Flask, render_template, request, session, redirect,

url_for, send_from_directory, after_this_request
import pandas as pd
import zipfile
import os
import uuid
from flask import Flask, session
from flask import g
from flask_session import Session
import re
import time
import pythoncom
import win32com.client
from datetime import datetime
import tempfile
import shutil
from flask import Flask, render_template, send_file
from io import BytesIO

32
from reportlab.lib import colors
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import A4, landscape
from reportlab.pdfbase.ttfonts import TTFont
from reportlab.pdfbase import pdfmetrics
from reportlab.lib.units import inch
from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Table, TableStyle,
Paragraph, Spacer, PageBreak, Image
from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet, ParagraphStyle
from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
app = Flask(__name__)
app.config["SESSION_PERMANENT"] = False
app.config["SESSION_TYPE"] = "filesystem"
Session(app)
app.secret_key = "supersecretkey12345"
LATEST_ATTENDANCE_DIR = None
count = 0
college_code = "H7"
HEADER_IMAGE_PATH =
"E:/paid_projects/exam_seating_system/static/Images/header.jpg"
OUTPUT_DIR = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), ’static’, ’output_files’)
os.makedirs(OUTPUT_DIR, exist_ok=True)
app.jinja_env.globals.update(zip=zip)
TEMP_DIR = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), ’temp’)
os.makedirs(TEMP_DIR, exist_ok=True)
@app.before_request
def make_session_non_permanent():
session.permanent = False
@app.route("/", methods=["GET", "POST"])
def index():
if request.method == "POST":
try:
num_departments = int(request.form["num_departments"])

33
 department_names = request.form.getlist("department_names[]")
subject_codes = request.form.getlist("subject_codes[]")
subject_names = request.form.getlist("subject_names[]")
uploaded_file = request.files["roll_numbers_file"]
date = request.form["date"]
date = datetime.strptime(date, " exam_session =
request.form["exam_session"]
exam_type = request.form["exam_type"]
room_names = request.form["room_names"].split(’,’)
room_names = [room.strip() for room in room_names]
if uploaded_file.filename == "":
return "Error: No file uploaded."
try:
df = pd.read_excel(uploaded_file)
print("File uploaded and read successfully.")
except Exception as e:
return f"Error: Unable to read the uploaded file. str(e)"
if len(department_names) != num_departments or
len(subject_codes) != num_departments:
return "Error: Number of departments or subject codes doesn’t
match the provided details."
if not
set(department_names).issubset(set(df["Department"].unique())):
return "Error: Department names do not match with the uploaded
file."
department_subject_map = dict(zip(department_names,
subject_codes))
sub_code_name_map = dict(zip(subject_codes, subject_names))
df = df[df["Department"].isin(department_names)]
session_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
temp_file_path = os.path.join(TEMP_DIR, f"session_id.csv")
df.to_csv(temp_file_path, index=False)

34
 session["session_id"] = session_id
session["num_departments"] = num_departments
session["department_subject_map"] = department_subject_map
session["sub_code_name_map"] = sub_code_name_map
session["date"] = date
session["exam_session"] = exam_session
session["exam_type"] = exam_type
session["room_names"] = room_names
print("Input validation successful and data stored.")
return render_template("index.html", buttons_visible=True)
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error during form submission: str(e)")
return "An error occurred while processing your request. Please try
again."
return render_template("index.html", buttons_visible=False)

Main Logic:
def seating_logic():
session_id = session.get("session_id")
department_subject_map = session.get("department_subject_map")
sub_code_name_map = session.get("sub_code_name_map")
room_names = session.get("room_names")
if not (session_id and department_subject_map):
return "Error: Missing data. Please submit the form first."
temp_file_path = os.path.join(TEMP_DIR, f"session_id.csv")
if not os.path.exists(temp_file_path):
return "Error: Data file not found. Please submit the form again."
df = pd.read_csv(temp_file_path)
df.sort_values(by=["Department","Roll Number","Student Name"],
inplace=True)
roll_name_dict = dict(zip(df["Roll Number"], df["Student Name"]))
g.large_data = roll_name_dict
department_counts = df["Department"].value_counts().to_dict()

35
 total_students = df.shape[0]
print("Initial Student Count Per Department:")
for dept, count in department_counts.items():
print(f"dept: count students")
rooms = []
special_rooms=[]
room_number = 1
session["room_number"]=room_number
remaining_students = df.copy()
remaining_departments = df["Department"].unique().tolist()
available_departments = remaining_departments.copy()
remaining_students_dict =
dept: "students": [], "subject_code":
department_subject_map.get(dept)
for dept in remaining_departments:

while len(remaining_students) > 0:

room = "room_number": room_names[room_number - 1], "side_a":
[], "side_b": []
side_a, side_b = [], []
if available_departments:
dept_a = available_departments[0]
dept_a_students =
remaining_students[remaining_students["Department"] == dept_a]
subject_code_a = department_subject_map[dept_a]
if len(dept_a_students) >= 12:
while len(side_a) < 24 and not dept_a_students.empty:
student = dept_a_students.iloc[0]
side_a.append((student[’Department’], student[’Roll
Number’]))
remaining_students =
remaining_students[remaining_students["Roll Number"] != student["Roll

36
Number"]]
dept_a_students = dept_a_students[dept_a_students["Roll
Number"] != student["Roll Number"]]
if dept_a_students.empty:
available_departments.remove(dept_a)
else:
remaining_students_dict[dept_a]["students"].extend(
[(student[’Department’], student[’Roll Number’])
for _, student in dept_a_students.iterrows()]
)
remaining_students =
remaining_students[remaining_students["Department"] != dept_a]
available_departments.remove(dept_a)
continue
if available_departments:
for dept_b in available_departments:
if department_subject_map[dept_b] != subject_code_a:
dept_b_students =
remaining_students[remaining_students["Department"] == dept_b]
if len(dept_b_students) >= 12:
while len(side_b) < 24 and not dept_b_students.empty:
student = dept_b_students.iloc[0]
side_b.append((student[’Department’], student[’Roll Number’]))
remaining_students =
remaining_students[remaining_students["Roll Number"] != student["Roll
Number"]]
dept_b_students =
dept_b_students[dept_b_students["Roll Number"] != student["Roll
Number"]]
if dept_b_students.empty:
available_departments.remove(dept_b)
break

37
5.2 Frontend - index.html
The ‘index.html‘ file is responsible for rendering the main page, allowing adminis-
trators to upload student data for processing.
<body>
<div class="container fade-in">
<h1><i class="fas fa-user-graduate"></i> Seating and Attendance Generator</h1>
<form method="POST" action="/" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<label for="num_departments">Number of Departments:</label>
<input type="number" name="num_departments" id="num_departments"
placeholder="Enter number of departments" required>
<div id="departments"></div>
<button type="button" onclick="generateDepartmentInputs()">Generate Department
Inputs</button>
<label for="roll_numbers_file">Upload Roll Numbers File:</label>
<input type="file" name="roll_numbers_file" id="roll_numbers_file" required>
<label for="exam_type">Type of Examination:</label>
<input type="text" name="exam_type" id="exam_type" required>
<label for="date">Date of examination:</label>
<input type="date" name="date" id="date" required>
<label for="room_names">Room Numbers (separated by commas):</label>
<input type="text" name="room_names" id="room_names" minlength="150"
maxlength="180" required>
<label for="exam_session">Session:</label> <label>
<input type="radio" name="exam_session" value="Forenoon"> Forenoon
</label><br>
<label> <input type="radio" name="exam_session" value="Afternoon"> Afternoon
</label><br>
<button type="submit"><i class="fas fa-paper-plane"></i> Submit</button>
</form>
<div class="success-message">
Data submitted successfully! You can now generate the seating plan and attendance
sheets.

38
5.3 Frontend - result.html
The ‘result.html‘ file displays the generated seating plan and provides a download
option for the seating plan in PDF format.
<body>
<div class="container">
<h1><i class="fas fa-chair"></i> Seating Plan Result</h1>
<button id="transformBtn" onclick="transformTables()"
>Transform Tables (6 Rows × 8 Columns per Room)</button>
<div id="seating-container">
<div class="room" id="room- room.room_number ">
<h2>Room room.room_number </h2>
<table class="seatingTable">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Side A</th>
<th>Side B</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> room.side_a[i][1] 0</td>
<td> room.side_b[i][1] </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<!– Generate Attendance Sheets Button –>
<form action=" url_for(’generate_attendance_sheets’) "
method="GET"> <button id="generateBtn"><i class="fas fa-file-alt"></i>
Generate Attendance Sheets</button>
</form>
</div>

39
 <div id="examDetails"
exam-type=" exam_type "
exam-date=" date "
college_code=" college_code ">
</div>
</div>

5.4 Summary of Implementation

The system follows a structured workflow that integrates user input, backend pro-
cessing, and result visualization:

• The index.html page serves as the main interface for user input, allowing the
administrator to:

– Enter the number of departments and their respective subject codes.

– Upload a student data file containing roll numbers, names, and departments.

– Specify the date, session type, and examination hall details.

• The app.py file processes the submitted data:

– Reads and validates the uploaded student data file.

– Applies sorting based on department and subject codes.

– Implements the seating logic to ensure no two students from the same de-
partment or subject sit together.

– Generates a structured seating plan while maintaining room allocation con-

straints.

• The result.html page displays the generated seating plan:

– Users can view the seating arrangement in a structured 6×8 format.

– Provides a button to download the final output files, including:

* The complete seating arrangement.

* Nominal rolls for each room.

* Department-wise, all-room, and room-wise student allocations.

40
 The integration of Flask for backend processing and HTML for frontend interaction
ensures a seamless experience for exam administrators. The system effectively stream-
lines seat allocation, enforces constraints, and generates structured, downloadable seat-
ing arrangements, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors in examination seat
planning.

41
 CHAPTER-6
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The results of the automatic exam seating planner system demonstrate its ability to
efficiently generate seating arrangements while ensuring that constraints are properly ap-
plied. The system takes student and exam-related input data, processes it, and generates
structured seating plans and nominal rolls in different formats. This section presents the
various outputs generated by the system, including input submission, seating allocation,
structured tables, and downloadable reports.

6.1 Input Page

The input page, shown in Fig. 6.1, serves as the primary interface for administrators
to upload student data and examination details. It provides an intuitive interface for
uploading Excel files containing roll numbers, department details, subject codes, and
room assignments.

Figure 6.1: Input Page for Uploading Student and Examination Data

Before processing, the system performs input validation to check for inconsistencies
such as missing student details, duplicate roll numbers, and incorrect subject codes. If
errors are detected, the system prompts the user to rectify them before proceeding. This
ensures that only clean and structured data is used for seat allocation.

42
 Furthermore, the input page allows administrators to configure additional examina-
tion constraints, such as session details, department-wise seating preferences, and room
allocations. Once all input fields are verified, the system stores this data for further
processing.

6.2 Generated Seating Plan

After processing the input, the system generates an optimized seating plan, as shown
in Fig. 6.2. The plan ensures that students from the same department or subject are not
seated next to each other, adhering to predefined constraints.

Figure 6.2: Generated Seating Plan After Applying Constraints

The seating arrangement algorithm distributes students across available rooms in a

fair and systematic manner. The system applies constraint satisfaction techniques to
shuffle students while maintaining order, preventing biased allocations, and ensuring
compliance with institutional policies.
This automated process significantly reduces manual errors, enhances fairness, and
accelerates seating arrangement generation compared to traditional manual methods.

43
6.3 Seating Plan in 6×8 Table Format
To provide a structured representation, the generated seating plan is transformed into
a six by eight table format, as shown in Fig. 6.3.

Figure 6.3: Seating Plan in 6×8 Table Format for Structured Representation

This layout offers several advantages:

• It ensures uniformity in seating arrangements across all examination rooms, mak-

ing it easier for faculty and invigilators to interpret.

• The tabular format allows for quick cross-checking and verification, reducing con-
fusion on the day of the exam.

• Empty seats are clearly marked, making last-minute adjustments or reallocation

seamless.

• The six by eight format optimizes room space utilization, ensuring a systematic
seating distribution.

This structured seating approach prevents overcrowding in certain sections of the

room while ensuring compliance with examination integrity rules.

44
6.4 Nominal Rolls
The system generates nominal rolls containing student details, as illustrated in Fig.
6.4. These rolls include:

• Roll Numbers – Unique identifiers for each student.

• Student Names – Clearly displayed for easy verification.

• Booklet Number Field – To be filled by invigilators during the exam.

• Signature Field – For students to sign as proof of attendance.

Figure 6.4: Generated Nominal Rolls for Student Verification

45
 Nominal rolls significantly aid in streamlining attendance tracking during exami-
nations, ensuring better accountability. They also act as official records for audit and
verification purposes.

6.5 Department-wise Seating Plan

The department-wise seating plan, as shown in Fig. 6.5, provides a breakdown of
student seat allocations by department. This plan helps departments verify the placement
of their students and maintain transparency in seat distribution.
It allows faculty members to easily identify their students’ seating arrangements,
making it convenient for supervision and last-minute adjustments if necessary.
By organizing students based on departments, this plan ensures fair distribution
across examination halls, preventing overcrowding or disproportionate allocation in spe-
cific rooms.

Figure 6.5: Department-wise Seating Plan

6.6 Room-wise Seating Plan

The room-wise seating plan, as depicted in Fig. 6.6, ensures that all students are
properly assigned within the allocated rooms. Each room has a unique distribution of
students from multiple departments, adhering to constraints.
This layout helps invigilators and faculty members quickly identify the students as-
signed to specific rooms. It also minimizes seating conflicts and enables smooth exami-
nation management.

46
 Additionally, the room-wise plan provides clarity when addressing last-minute room
modifications or reallocations due to space constraints or unexpected scheduling changes.

Figure 6.6: Room-wise Seating Plan

6.7 Room-Department Seating Plan

The room-department seating plan, as shown in Fig. 6.7, presents a comprehen-
sive view of student allocations by both room and department. This report ensures that
invigilators and exam coordinators can easily cross-check student placements.

Figure 6.7: Room-Department Seating Plan

47
 By integrating both room and department details, this seating plan allows for efficient
invigilation and provides a structured approach to managing student allocations.
The system effectively automates the exam seating arrangement process, signifi-
cantly reducing manual effort and ensuring compliance with all constraints. The seating
allocation process is efficient, ensuring that no two students from the same department
or subject are seated together. The structured seating plan in a six by eight table format
improves readability, while the generation of nominal rolls provides essential documen-
tation for invigilators. The ability to generate department-wise, room-wise, and room-
department plans enhances transparency in the seating arrangement. The automated
report generation and downloadable PDF outputs further streamline the administrative
workflow, making this system an effective solution for managing large-scale examina-
tion seating arrangements.

48
 CHAPTER-7
CONCLUSION AND FUTUREWORK

Examination seating arrangements play a crucial role in maintaining fairness, dis-

cipline, and efficiency in academic institutions. Traditional manual methods for seat
allocation are time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to manage, especially when
handling large student populations. This project aimed to develop an automated exam-
ination seating planner using Python and Flask, ensuring optimal seat allocation while
adhering to predefined constraints. By leveraging intelligent algorithms, the system ef-
fectively prevents students from the same department or subject from sitting adjacent to
each other. It dynamically distributes students across rooms while accommodating edge
cases, such as departments with fewer than twelve students.
The automated system significantly reduces faculty workload by streamlining the
entire seating process, from data collection to seat allocation and report generation. The
seating plan is generated in a structured six by eight table format, providing a clear
representation of student placements. Additionally, the system generates nominal rolls
containing student roll numbers, names, and designated spaces for booklet numbers
and signatures, ensuring easy verification and monitoring during the examination. The
ability to download department-wise, room-wise, and all-room seating plans further en-
hances transparency and accessibility for academic administrators and invigilators.
The project has demonstrated the effectiveness of automation in educational insti-
tutions, particularly in reducing human intervention, minimizing errors, and improving
seat allocation efficiency. The system ensures that all constraints are met while maintain-
ing a fair and structured seating arrangement for students. The integration of real-time
data validation enhances accuracy, ensuring that seating plans are free from conflicts
before finalization.
Despite the advantages of this automated approach, there are several areas where
future enhancements can improve the system further. One key area of future work is the
integration of student and administrator login systems, allowing role-based access to the
seating planner. This would provide a more secure environment where only authorized
users can upload, modify, or download seating arrangements. Additionally, the sys-

49
tem could be extended to support automated email notifications, informing students of
their seat allocations before the examination. This feature would eliminate the need for
manual communication and provide students with direct access to their assigned seats.
Another potential enhancement involves the development of a real-time dashboard
for administrators, allowing them to visualize seating arrangements, monitor seat oc-
cupancy, and make last-minute modifications before finalizing the seating plan. This
feature would provide greater flexibility in seat allocation, particularly when accom-
modating last-minute student changes or room reassignments. Future iterations of the
project could also incorporate cloud integration, allowing institutions to store and man-
age seating data on platforms like Google Drive or Firebase for seamless remote access
and collaboration.
Furthermore, additional optimization techniques, such as machine learning-based
seat allocation models, can be explored to further enhance efficiency. By analyzing
historical seating data and student distribution patterns, AI-based models could dynam-
ically predict optimal seating assignments while balancing constraints more effectively.
The inclusion of multi-language support in the system’s user interface can make it ac-
cessible to a wider range of institutions, allowing educational organizations in different
regions to implement automated seating arrangements with ease.
In conclusion, this project provides a robust and scalable solution for examination
seat allocation, addressing key challenges faced in manual methods. By integrating real-
time validation, structured seat planning, and automated report generation, the system
significantly enhances examination management efficiency. With future enhancements
such as role-based authentication, automated email notifications, AI-driven seat allo-
cation, and cloud-based collaboration, the system can be further improved to meet the
evolving needs of educational institutions.

50
 REFERENCES

[1] Sharma, A., & Gupta, R. (2021). Automated Examination Seating System Us-
ing Heuristic Algorithms. International Journal of Educational Technology, 15(3),
145-159.

[2] Patel, S., & Verma, K. (2022). AI-Based Exam Seating Arrangement Using Con-
straint Satisfaction. Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Applications, 9(1), 37-49.

[3] Lee, J., Kim, H., & Park, D. (2020). Graph Theory Approach for Exam Seat Plan-
ning. IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence, 12(4), 456-470.

[4] Khan, R., Ali, Z., & Rahman, M. (2021). Genetic Algorithm for Optimized Seating
Allocation in Examination Halls. Advances in Computational Science, 8(2), 110-
125.

[5] Reddy, N., Babu, R., & Srinivas, H. (2023). Reinforcement Learning for Exam
Seat Distribution. Neural Networks and Smart Systems, 14(2), 189-205.

[6] Wang, Y., & Zhang, X. (2022). Deep Learning-Based Exam Seating Arrangement
Prediction. Journal of Intelligent Systems, 17(1), 55-72.

[7] Kumar, A., & Nair, P. (2021). Case Study on Automated Exam Scheduling and
Seating Management. International Journal of Educational Administration, 10(3),
78-95.

[8] Bose, M., Singh, A., & Raghavan, K. (2023). Cloud-Based Seat Allocation Sys-
tem for Large-Scale Examinations. Journal of Cloud Computing and Data Man-
agement, 11(4), 312-329.

[9] Latif, J., Tu, S., Xiao, C., Ur Rehman, S., Imran, A., & Latif, Y. (2022). ODGNet:
a deep learning model for automated optic disc localization and glaucoma classifi-
cation using fundus images. SN Applied Sciences, 4(4), 98.

[10] Johnson, M., & Lee, T. (2020). Automating Academic Seat Allocation Using AI-
Powered Algorithms. Journal of Educational Data Science, 7(2), 200-220.

51
[11] Anjum, S., Chodey, M. D., & Afzal, M. C. (2021). Automation of Exam Hall Al-
lotment and Seating Arrangement. International Journal of Engineering Research
& Technology, 10(6).

[12] Sadiq, A., Abdulrahman, A., Dada, O., & Olajide, A. (2021). Automated Students
Examination Seat Allocation using Linear Congruential Generator Algorithm. In-
ternational Journal of Computer Trends and Technology, 69(1), 23-26.

[13] Papaioannou, E., Vardakis, A., & Kaklamanis, C. (2018). oPESA: Online Platform
for Automatic Exam-Hall Seat Allocation. International Journal of Engineering
Technologies and Management Research, 5(6), 51-65.

[14] Acharyya, A., Losalka, A., Gupta, P. S., & Panda, G. (2012). Development of an
Automated Examination Seating Arrangement Generation System Using Music In-
spired Harmony Search Algorithm. In Proceedings of the International Conference
on Soft Computing for Problem Solving (2011) (pp. 301-309).

[15] Fatima Alam, A. (2016). Automatic Seating Arrangement Tool for Examinations
in Universities/Colleges. International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences
and Technology, 1(4), 8-10.

52