The inaugural ceremony of the five-day event, to be held at the Salt Lake Stadium, will also see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee share the dais for the first time since the Trinamool Congress walked out of UPA in September.
Usually, the Prime Minister inaugurates the annual gathering of scientists on January three, but since he is the General President of the ISC in its centenary year it was decided to request Mukherjee to be the chief guest.
The Prime Minister himself is understood to have suggested that Mukherjee should inaugurate the event when it was pointed out to him that there would be no chief guest as he is the ISC's General President.
Singh is expected to unveil the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy-2013 which lays greater thrust on innovation, establishing research institutes and participation in mega science projects with an aim to position India among the top five scientific powers in the world by 2020.
The largest national science event, hosted by Calcutta University, is expected to attract over 10,000 delegates including Nobel laureates and eminent scientists from India and abroad.
This is the 13th time the Indian Science Congress is being hosted by Kolkata. The city had hosted in first Science Congress in 1914 and held the event last in 1995.
The theme of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) is 'Science for Shaping the Future of India'.
The 'Pride of India' exhibition showcasing cutting edge technologies, leading scientific products and services, and achievements of India's top public and private sector organisations would also be held alongside ISC.
