I had experiences like this too - and I think it's not that the teachers expect 'drone students' as much as they are drone teachers themselves, lacking in eithe

I had experiences like this too - and I think it's not that the teachers expect 'drone students' as much as they are drone teachers themselves, lacking in either a deep understanding of the subject they teach or any real motivating interest to examine submitted work on its own merits. Your teacher just went for the textbook approach here.