You can, but only if someone's willing to hire you. Employers are leery of hiring you for substantially less money than you made in the last job. The fear is you're still looking, and a few months down the road (before you've really accomplished anything) you'll quit.

There is no need to tell an employer your previous salary.

You don't think it affects your job prospects when you refuse?

If they won't hire you because you won't disclose your salary, you don't want to work for that company anyway.

Problem: cannot find jobs.

Solution: don't want to work for them anyway.

I think a much more likely scenario is that you won't get an interview at all. An employer is unlikely to consider you for a junior role that requires < 5 years of experience when you've had > 10 years experience in another field.

Well in India recruiters ask for the current salary & expected salary by default. If you don't provide this info, your resume heads to the trash.