Prior to its Liberation in 1961, Goa offered very few opportunities in higher education and Goan aspirants had to migrate to the neighbouring states in pursuit of higher education. Goa’s liberation in 1961 opened up new vistas of socio-economic development and the education sector too witnessed several initiatives by Goan industrialists-philanthropists in the establishment of educational institutions.
The Dempo family of Goa, renowned for their philanthropic outlook, was among the first to establish two prominent institutions of higher learning in Goa – Dhempe College of Arts and Science in 1962 and SS Dempo College of Commerce and Economics in 1966. The two institutions provided Goan students with the much needed avenues of learning beyond matriculation.
With the establishment of Goa Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education in 1975, the higher secondary sections of the two colleges were re-established as Vasantrao Dempo Higher Secondary School of Arts and Science, and Voicuntrao Sinai Dempo Higher Secondary School of Commerce. Both the higher secondary schools were located at Miramar in the city of Panaji, till 2014.
In 2015, both higher secondary schools were amalgamated into a single higher secondary school, renamed as Vasantrao Dempo Higher Secondary School of Arts, Science and Commerce, and re-located to a sprawling new campus at the Deendayal Integrated Education Complex at Cujira, St. Cruz-Goa. Today, the School has established itself as one of the frontline higher secondary schools in Goa that offer a vibrant and congenial learning environment for young students.