That's ridiculous. Essays are already being shoe-horned into the 3-paragraph/introduction/conclusion format and (I believe) it's quite harmful to budding write

That's ridiculous. Essays are already being shoe-horned into the 3-paragraph/introduction/conclusion format and (I believe) it's quite harmful to budding writers. An automated system of marking will mean two things: 1. Students will write more essays because they can be marked faster but... 2. The increased quantity will dictate an even more strict "style".